§ MR. COCHRANE-BAILLIE (St. Pancras, N.)asked the Postmaster General, Whether, in view of the Report of the Committee on the Revenue Departments, he can state that the Government will bring in further legislation to relieve the country from the loss incurred by the present agreement in connection with the sending of Press telegrams?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)I can assure the hon. Member that I am quite 306 in accord with the Committee on the question of the transmission of messages on behalf of the Press; but having regard to the fact that the charge rests upon the statutory powers conferred by the Telegraph Act of 1868, and that the charges levied have been in operation for upwards of 18 years, I fear that it would be difficult to make any change. The question of fresh legislation is, however, one more for the First Lord of the Treasury than for myself.