The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-22 00:00:00

Deputation to the Postmaster-General.

Yesterday afternoon a deputation from the Asso-
ciated Chambers of Commerce waited upon the
Duke of Montrose and upon Mr. Hunt, the Secre-
tary to the Treasury, at the offices of the Treasury,
Whitehall, on the following subjects----viz., West
Indian and Brazilian mails, telegraphic communica-
tion, ocean postage, loans to Harbour Boards, and
the collection of income and assessed taxes. The
deputation included Mr. Forster, M.P., Mr. Baines,
M.P., Sir F. Crossley, ALP., Col. Akroyd, M.P.,
Mr. Norwood, M.P., Mr. Lloyd, President of the
Associated Chamber of Commerce, and other gen-
tlemen.

The deputation having been introduced by Mr.
Forster, ➢I.P.,

Mr. LLOYD drew the attention of his grace and
that of Mr. Hunt to the heavy charge placed on pos-
tage to the United States and other countries, and
referred to the inconvenience which he said was ex-
perienced at present by merchants and traders owing
to the irregularities and delay which occurred in the
delivery of the mails at Southampton. He said that
great loss resulted from the fact that merchants and
others were prevented by the lateness of the time at
which mails were often delivered from replying to
their letters by the next outward mail steamer.
His GRACE said he understood the question as to
the convenience to the public in the debarkation of
the mails lay between Falmouth and Plymouth.
Mr. lit:Yr said that was so, and added that it was
a question whether it was more advantageous for
those towns that the outward steamers should take
the mails at the moat westerly port, or that the
homeward mail should touch at either of them.
Mr. WurrwELL, of Kendal, in introducing the
subject of ocean postage, said a reduction in the
charge was essentially necessary, especially as re-
garded the United States, and submitted that any
additional outlay on the part of the Government
would be more than compensated for by the increased
facilities which would follow the reduction.
His GRACE said that when the contract with the
Cunard Company for the carriage of the mails was
agreed to it was very probable that a great reduc-
tion in the rate of postage with the United States
would take place.
Mr. LLOYD next called attention to the advantage
of placing telegraphic communication under the con-
trol of the Post- office. He said that at present the
loss of thousands of pounds was occasioned by the
misinterpretation and delay of messages by pri-
vate companies. He was aware that telegraphic
messages sent from Birmingham, where he
resided, to London, often occupied four hours in
their transmission, whereas they would not have
taken more than ten minutes if anything like regu-
larity existed. He thought that if the Post-office
undertook the control of telegraphic communication
one office might be made to work efficiently in towns
where there were two or three offices now.

Colonel AKROYD, M.P., concurred in the asser-
tion that telegraphic communication could be worked
more efficiently under the control of the Post-office
authorities than on the present system.
Mr. HUNT said this question WtIS occupying the
serious attention of the Government. They had, as
yet, come to no positive decision, but he had no
doubt that in the course of a short time they would
be able to announce their views.

His GRACE said he feared that delays would oc-
cur during the control of the Post-office over tele-
graphic communication as well as at present.
Mr. FORSTER, M.P., said that in case of complaint
it would be easier to get at the Post-office authori-
ties in the House of Commons. (Laughter.) He
entirely indorsed the statements made as to the
irregularities which attended the transmission of
telegraphic messages at present, and said that mem-
bers of the House of Commons had often cause of
much complaint in consequence.
_ _

Mr. Hurry said that in the event of the telegraphic
communication being committed to the charge of the
Government, if all the complaints of individual
members of that house on this subject were attended
to, he feared the attention of Parliament would be
often occupied respecting it. (Laughter.)
Mr. LLOYD then referred to the question of grant-
ing loans to Harbour Boards, and referred to the
disadvantages under which some of those bodies
laboured at present in borrowing money. He said
the object of the deputation was to have the loans
granted to Harbour Boards, on the Board of Trade
being satisfied with the justice of the arguments
used in favour of the grant.

Mr. WILSON, of Middlesborough, said that an
Act was passed in 1861 authorising the advance of
money on the security of tolls, and the deputation
wished to have the operations of that Act extended
to the discharge of existing debts.

Mr. HUNT said the Act referred to took the place
of a former system of grants. The grants under this
system were at 31 per cent., and repayable by an
annuity of 50 years, and were intended to enable
certain works to be done. The money sought by
the grants which they required was not for the exe-
cution of works, but for the discharge of liabilities
that had been incurred in respect to finished works.
The question was a large one, and he promised it
should have consideration.

Mr. LLOYD then referred to the advisability of
having income and assessed taxes collected through
the Inland Revenue. He said that at present the
Inland Revenue received a portion of the taxes,
but a large share of them was collected in a way
which was considered vexatious and unsatisfactory.

Mr. HUNT understood the proposition of the de.
putation to be in favour of a bill formerly intro
ducod on the subject by Mr. Gladstone, and pro.
raised it should have consideration.

The deputation then thanked his Grace and Mr,
Hunt for their courtesy, and withdrew.

The course of exchange at New York on London for bills at
60 days' sight is about 109 per cent. At this rate there is
no profit on the Importation of gold from the United States.