Sessional_Paper_1890 — Page 385

381

No. 22

90.

HONGKONG.

DESPATCHES RESPECTING THE PROPOSED REDUCTION OF POSTAGE.

Laid before the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government.

DOWNING STREET,

28th May, 1890.

? May, 1890.

SIR,

I have the honour to transmit to you an extract of a letter from the General Post Office requesting attention to that part of the Budget Speech in the House of Commons on the 17th of April, an extract of which is herewith enclosed, in which the Chancellor of the Exchequer expressed the desire of Her Majesty's Government to deal with the question of the postage to India and the Colonies by reducing the postage on letters by all routes to a universal rate of 24d., and I request that you will inform me, at your earliest convenience, whether, as Her Majesty's Government is prepared for the somewhat considerable sacrifice of Imperial Revenue which this reduction of postage will involve, the Colony under your Government is also disposed to make a similar sacrifice, assuming that the state of the finances will permit.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient humble Servant,

The Officer Administering the Government of

HONGKONG.

KNUTSFORD.

"SIR,

The Post Office to the Colonial Office.

"GENERAL POST OFFICE, LONDON, "7th May, 1890.

"I am directed by the Postmaster-General to request that you will be good enough to draw the attention of the Secretary of State for the Colonies to that part of the Budget Speech made by Mr. GoSCHEN in the House of Commons on the 17th ultimo in which he expressed the desire of Her Majesty's Government to deal with the question of the postage to India and the Colonies by reducing the letter rate by all routes and to all parts of the Empire to 24d.

"The Postmaster-General has been requested by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to place himself in communication with the Agents General of the Australian Colonies and of the Cape Colony on this important question in order to obtain their co-operation.

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"His Lordship is of course aware that the proposal of the Government embraces a much larger area than that of India, Australasia, and the Cape of Good Hope, and in fact affects the whole of British Colonies. I am, therefore, to take the present opportunity of suggesting that the Secretary of State should at