PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
mnimmim C.O.885
18 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
Fourteenth Day.
9 May 1907.
UNIVERSAL PENNY POSTAGE.
Mr. DEAKIN: We brought in a Bill last year.
Mr. BUXTON: But I understood it was withdrawn.
Mr. DEAKIN: It was defeated and withdrawn.
Mr. BUXTON: Then I suggest to Mr. Deakin that he should endeavour to educate Australia. As we are all agreed, the penny postage is of the greatest possible advantage, and Australia should no longer stand out from the agreement and the arrangement which was come to all over the rest of the Empire.
One point, perhaps Sir Joseph will allow me to make in regard to this matter. The chief object, as I understand, or the chief results, at all events, of this Conference is that there is a general desire, on both sides, on the part of the Home Government, and on the part of the various Colonial Governments to meet one another in regard to improved inter-communication from the After all, point of view of Empire, and from the point of view of commerce. this Imperial Penny Postage which exists at present is a very considerable link between the various parts of the Empire. I am not altogether sure, seeing that has only been in effective force for a few years, whether on the whole-looking at it from an Imperial and Colonial point of view-it is not a not be better to see little premature to press for the other step. Would
first if it is likely to facilitate the communication between the various parts of the Empire before we extend its benefits at considerable expense to ourselves -between ourselves and other countries. I throw that out not as hostile to the spirit of this resolution, but as a point which under the peculiar circumstances of the discussions which have occurred here might well be borne in mind.
May I add, in connection with questions of postal facilities and communication that we are now introducing, and are going to suggest to the various Colonies the introduction of the cash on delivery system as between the Colonies and Great Britain. The Imperial Postal Order has now, I am glad to say, been adopted by every Colony with the exception of Canada and of Australia at the present moment; but I am in communication with the Postmaster-General of both the Dominion and of the Commonwealth, and I hope they may be able to fall in with a system, which, as regards other parts of the Empire, is found to be of the greatest possible advantage in enabling small purchases between the Colonies themselves and between the Colonies and Great Britain.
I thought I had better, perhaps, make these general observations, and again express my sympathy with the views of Sir Joseph Ward, and say that when, and if opportunity occurs, it is a matter which we certainly have at heart, and hope at some time or other to be able to accomplish.
Mr. DEAKIN It is part of the policy of the Government to introduce peuny post, but the circumstances in Australia, like the circumstances in some of the other great Dominions, are not taken into account when the refusal of a majority of its Legislature to make that concession is considered. Owing to the sparsely settled nature of our interior, there are places in which We provide it costs us several shillings for the delivery of every letter. what I think, having regard to the different distances to be covered, are remark- able instances of Post Office enterprise. Wherever there are a few tents we manage to make arrangements for a postal service. Many of these are maintained at great cost. The consequence is that while if we were confined to an area such as that of the United Kingdom universal penny postage would be voted immediately--and in fact there is penny postage within several States we have never been able to get the assent of the Legislature yet to
101
Fourteenth Day.
9 May 1907.
UNIVERSAL
an Imperial proposition. They fear that it would mean if not a curtailment of any of the existing services which I have referred to, a greater hesitancy in granting them to fresh settlements. They look with some jealousy on any proposal for diminishing the Post Office finds since our constant onward movement means a constant opening of new offices and the making of fresh PENNY POSTAGE.
(Mr. Denkin.) arrangements at considerable expense. However, that is part of our policy. We are endeavouring to carry our measure, and another effort will be made in that regard. At the same time it is only fair that the Postmaster-General should recognise the very exceptional circumstances under which our work is carried on. Under these circumstances when we have not yet arrived at penny postage within the Empire itself, it does look a little previous, as the Americans would say, to be asking it from other countries.
I am
Sir JOSEPH WARD: One word upon this matter from the point of view so fully represented, which I appreciate to the greatest possible extent, by the British Postmaster-General. In submitting this resolution, it is not with the object of pressing at any undue period upon any portion of the Empire, Great Britain or elsewhere, the bringing into operation of this system, but it is if possible to impress upon, not the distinctly advanced British Post Office, who have done all in their power up-to-date, and done most valuable work, but upon other countries as well as Great Britain, the importance of having universal penny postage through the world. glad to have submitted this resolution, only for the purpose of hearing the statements made by Mr. Buxton as to what has been done by the British Post Office already, and I take the opportunity of saying, as the New Zealand delegate at the Postal Conference, that the repre- sentatives of Great Britain there, not only did most valuable work, but were a distinct credit, not only to the postal service of Great Britain, but to the Empire as a whole. I want to place on record my testimony to the splendid way in which the President of that Postal Union, Mr. Babington Smith, carried out most difficult and important work there. I may say that the British delegates remained neutral when this Universal Penny Postage proposition was put before that Conference. We have done all in New Zealand We have the penny rate for that the Postal Union required to be done.
4 ounces throughout our country on letters; we have cheapness and efficiency in both our postal and telegraph services in every way possible. I want to take the advantage of saying how important it is to have within the Empire uniformity both as to charges and system. Australia is a case in point. There against Mr. Deakin's own representations and those of his capable Postmaster-General, Mr. Austin Chapman, Parliament decided on the grounds of loss of revenue, not to go for universal penny postage. Our experience in New Zealand—and it was the experience of Canada, I know also; the then Postmaster-General told me so himself—is that the effect of our coming right down to a penny rate was we recovered our revenue in a very limited period, very much less than the permanent officials contemplated, namely, under three years. The aspect put by Mr. Deakin as one of the reasons Australia has voted against it was to avoid increased mail services. In New Zealand the adoption of it was the cause of our very nearly doubling the facilities for carrying mails to the different portions of our country owing to the increased business that accrued. I sincerely hope that the time will arrive when Mr. Buxton, who is not only sympathetic towards this resolution, but, I-am sure, anxious, will be able to do it. Some morning we will find that America and Germany have entered into a subsidiary agreement for a penny postage between themselves, or America and France, or some other great countries. When that is done the whole world must soon follow. My opinion is Britain We should not look upon ought to be ahead, as it always has been ahead. the Post Office as a great taxing machine for general revenue, but regard
I
49146.
Ce