§ Mr. HACKINGasked the Postmaster-General in connection with mail contracts between Great Britain and our Dominions, which lines of mail steamers are under contract with the British Post Office and which are under contract with Dominion Governments; and what considerations decide whether the contracts should be made by the British Post Office or by the Dominion Government concerned?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHThe Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company is under contract with the British Post Office for the mail service to India and the Far East and, fortnightly, to Australia; the Orient Steam Navigation Company is under contract with Australia for a fortnightly service between this country and Australia; and the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company is under contract with South Africa for the weekly 1115W service between this country and South Africa, while Canada and New Zealand have contracts for services from those Dominions to various parts of the world. The Dominions, like this country, are entitled to settle their own services, and the arrangements in each case depend on the particular circumstances obtaining.