Penny Postage.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 8 July 1890, Page 2

Penny Postage.

"— ♦ Mr Henniker Hea'cn has asked for a Select Committee of the House of Commons to inquire into the feasr bility and cost of estab ishing penny postage to all parts of the empire and America. In writing to an English paper he points out, that we have now a universal penny post for newspapers, and that a ietter of the same w ight as a paper (4 ozs) costs 4s. One penny p«r letter (-J- oz/ i 3 equally to £300 per ton, and ordinary goda are earned at £2 per ton. Another writer points out that at sixpence a letter, we pay £1720 per ton, as against £87 per ton for newspapers. To non-su'^idize'l steamers the the postal authorities only pay one penny a letter from Plymouth to New Zealand. The English Government have decided to give the rate of 2£d a letter a trial, believing however that there w.U be a loss of £105,000, or £15,000 foraach half penny reduc tion. Mr Heimiker Heaton su<* gests that to reduce the rate to one pency would only entail an extra £30,000 which the boon is well worth. A memorial addressed to the Queen is in process of being sigced, "to secure as speedily us may be, the establishment of a Pesny Post throughout the English speaking world."