§ MR. PULESTON (Devonport)asked the Postmaster General whether he will consider the desirability and convenience of having stamped telegraph cards similar in size to the ordinary post card?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)In reply to the Question of the hon. Member, I beg to state that telegram cards were first issued to the public in January, 1872. There was, however, no demand for the cards, and the Department could not but come to the conclusion that they were not required by the public. They became, indeed, so much dead stock, Postmasters at last using them in place of the 1s. stamp in payment for ordinary telegrams. Under these circumstances, they were with drawn after four years' trial, and since the sale was discontinued there has been 1407 scarcely any demand for their restoration. Had they been found generally useful, the Department would scarcely have failed to have had numerous representations on the subject.