COLONIAL POSTAGE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 28, 19 July 1851, Page 3

COLONIAL POSTAGE.

(From the Morning Chronicle, December 26tJi.)

It is difficult to conceive upon what principle the interests of our colonies are regulated by the maternal Government at home; its conduct being so utterly at variance with everyching like that adopted in well regulated families, for the purpose of training useful members of society. The plan upon which rewards and punishments are usually distributed appears to be completely ignored by our Colonial Office, and in its stead we see a system adopted, by which the rebellious and strong are rewarded and assisted, and the weak but obedient, discouraged and punished. This state of things, however, perhaps only adds one additional instance to the many which constantly occur in the history of families, and of our world, of might triumphing over right; and it is not improbable that, knowing their inefficiency in colonial matters especially, the authorities of Downing Street, or of St. Martin's le Grand, expect us to look upon their acts with that charity which, "hoping all things," would lead us to believe that it was the power only, and not the will which was wanted in order to enable "right to be done" to our colonies. With respect, however, to the matter of colonial postage, the above-named authorities, or either of them, have no right whatever to ask indulgence for their conduct, but on the contrary, they must submit to that censure which justly attaches to culpable neglect or blind indifference.

These thoughts occurred to us upon perusing the columns of the "Post Office Official Monthly Directory," published by permission of her Majesty's Postmaster-General. The paragraph Avhich struck us most was the following:—"The privilege of forwarding to and from foreign parts pamphlets, not being periodicals, is at present confined to the United States." Beading on a little further, we found that publications of this class, "to and from those foreign parts to which the privilege extends—i.e., the United States only), are charged as follows : not exceeding 2 'ounces, one penny ; 3 ounces, sixpence ;" and so on up to 16 ounces, when the charge for postage is 2s. Bd. Pamphlets, not being periodicals, sent to any other portion of the world except the highly favoured United states, are charged with the usual rates of letter postage. On referring, therefore, to the postage-rate for Canada, we found that letters exceeding one ounce in weight are charged 4s. Bd. The United States, therefore, have theprivilege of receiving or sending pamphlets to and from this country, at the rate of one penny for two ounces, while for a pamphlet of half the weight, the adjoining country, which is so fortunate as to be one of our colonies, and to enjoy the blessings of our government at home, pays 4s. Bd., or just 2s. more than would be charged for the postage of 16 ounces of pamphlets or books to the United States. To the Cape of Good Hope the charge is, " per ship " 2s. Sd. per ounce ; " by packet," 45.; to Australia, " per ship," 2s. Bd., via Marseilles and India, 9s. Id., and by Southampton, ss. 4d. To Jamaica and the West India Islands the charge is the same as that to Canada.

It is needless to multiply instances; but upon what possible ground, we would ask, can this enormous injustice to our colonies be defended ? It cannot be that the government has not the power to remedy this grievous and startling anomaly ; and the only reason for its continuance is to be found in that culpable neglect which has for so long a period been one of the prevailing characteristics of our colonial policy. In the late postal treaty between this country and the United States, the latter power, well knowing its deficiency in anything like a natural literature, and the advantages which would result to its citizens from being enabled to draw a cheap and extensive supply from this country —wisely insisted upon the concession of this great boon, and in the exercise of its power stopped the Canada mails through the United States until it was granted. The conduct of the United States Government might have taught us a valuable lesson. Some time has now elapsed since that treaty was concluded, but the lesson has been unheeded ; and by our conduct we show that we are prepared to give a formidable rival those advantages which we withhold from our own subjects.

But if a cheap supply of literature is essential to a powerful country like the United States, it is surely far more essential to our vising colonies. Or perhaps our rulers at home consider

it as of no consequence, that the tastes of our colonists should be cultivated, and that increased facilities should be given them for becoming more fully conversant with the current literature of the mother country. Or it may be that, in their ignorance of colonial matters, they may actually suppose that our colonies have such an abundant supply of literature of their own as to enable them to dispense with that supply which the United States has shown itself so anxious to obtain, and which it has so successfully secured. One 2>oint, however, is certain, that there does exist in our colonies a growing and increasing desire for a supply of literature, which, by the culpable neglect exhibited on the part of the colonial government at home, it would appear that it was desirous to suppress and destroy.