The Weekly Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. THE POSTAGE ON NEWSPAPERS.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 87, 31 August 1868, Page 211

The Weekly Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. THE POSTAGE ON NEWSPAPERS.

The question, of the repeal of the im\u«, u.., -if., „ :»T '• s9® truosmi|;tpd ,through .the .Post (.Office wasbraught before ihejHouse of Re~ presentatives on the evening-of Wednesday, 19th ihst., by Mr Vogel, who made a motion in the i following words —“ That in order to remove all restrictions in the way of the free circulation pf .newspapers, it is desirable to abolish,,the ppstpl., charges thereon, and - that the Government be; requested to introduce a 'measure to give effect to this resolution.’* As might-be expected from a Government which has always hitherto . been famous for its antagonism -to. the. motion, was warml y oppose,d-rr-bfr ,Hall taking up the cudgels, and using them .so effectually' as to show that- the press had nothing to hope for from the present administration. He said that ( the postal taxon the transmission of news papers bjojigbt into. thp j Colonial rev.e that the. country was ..unable .taiafford the relinquishment of such a sum, even if it were desirable; but he was not able to see any" reason why newspapers shquld be favored by a free transmis sion through the ppst, more,. thaji any other articles.. The ..strength of. the Government was known too well to Mr Vogel much hiope of a chance of. Success; however, he divided the House-on, the motion—the.Vesult.be-

ing by 3,,t0 2, the numbers being—for,the,motion, 22 ; .against it; 33; majority against, 11. It was perhaps scarcely wise to bring the question before the present Governas its-fate was so certain ; but at . the same., time ,it may lead us to hope for a reversal of the policy on the advent of the opposition, to power. The division list has not reached us, shall ,be sure to lay it before our -readers as soon as it.. comes to hand. ' r

( The r question in a modified' form opce the is, so far as relates to bona fide exchanges ; and there is no doubt whatever that’ the press has a right to such a concession. . If it .be .argned that those who enjoy the luxury .qf their,. newspaper should be made;tQ ; pay.for its delivery to them, —or, being unwilling to do so, must give it up,—it cannot be so ar : gued in reference to the bona fide exchanges betiveen thc > seyeral i! offices in th(3Colony, ..^Vfh^tpyer, inay.becase . with regard papers sup: plied to subscribers—and we ;know that a large proportion of that postage falls oh tKeJ reimbursiemeni whatqyer t qf tijo postage paid,.on-exchanges, , That is an gphjhl, qheck;; on: the. transmission. oU intelligence,or ; ithe-interchange ofthoughts and feelings; and its removal would Jbe*-a Booh’toi whole Colony: 4 rt li&Z “ t :ru,Vy 1-'S . | [:Thereis yet classVof papers which have an undoubted claim-to the privilege' of free u posthl ‘transmission. We; m c eah'-'tHose which"-‘are semt grasociations;., throughout.,, the.w'Goiony* the itax sbcietihs werh vety

of the newspapers being in .a position'to afford; tha'cast. ofr.posfc* libts ** Save,almost These concessions, ..then, we may. reasonably hope for' from a . Government and a -House that has refused to Tepeal the. tax as! a .whole, and, we trust that all those members who have the intellectual-progress of, the polony at heart will-help, to bring. them about, so that’ all newspapers published bona fide jo v exchange or v public benefit in the, libraries of. niechanics’ institutes, &cu, shall 4)6, exempt from postage, provided they bear- on»the*cover a notification to that'effect. *