§ MR. SHIRLEYasked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether it is the fact that the Post Office Authorities have interfered with the long-continued practice of the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge to send messages within their localities respectively; and, if so, whether there is any, and what, justification, for the interference?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. H. H. FOWLER)The attention of the Postmaster General having been called to certain private arrangements made by the Colleges for the collection and delivery of letters in their respective localities, he was advised that these arrangements were illegal, as being an infringement of the exclusive privilege of carrying letters by post conferred on him by Act of Parliament. It was, therefore, incumbent upon the Postmaster General to inform the College authorities to that effect, and to request that the arrangements objected to might be discontinued. I am happy to say that the Postmaster General's representations were received in the spirit which might have been expected 1209 in the learned bodies to which they were addressed, and steps have been taken to put an end to the practices to which objection was made.
§ MR. RAIKESgave Notice that he would, at an early date, ask the hon. Gentleman what Act of Parliament conferred the privilege to which he had referred?