§ MR. HENNIKER HEATONI beg to ask the Representative of the Postmaster General, whether his attention has been called to the different charges made for compound-word telegrams—for example Port Said being charged as one word by the Eastern Telegraph Company and two words by the General Post Office; and whether he will give instructions that all compound words of names, places, and things be in future charged as one word?
§ * MR. HANBURYUnder the International Telegraph Regulations, to which this country is a party, Port Said is chargeable as one word in the address of a telegram to that place. It would also be so charged in the text if written as one word. The practice of the Eastern Telegraph Company and the General Post Office in this respect is identical. With respect to the second paragraph of the hon. member's question, the Postmaster General fears that it is impossible in a matter of this kind to avoid some inconsistencies, but the broad rule at present in regard to inland telegrams is that all compound words to be found in recognised dictionaries, and which are written as such by the senders, are to be charged for as one word. The names of towns and villages in this country are also so charged; but the Postmaster General is not prepared to allow compound names of other places or of persons to pass as single words.
§ MR. HENNIKER HEATONasked why "St. Leonards" was charged as one word while "Charing Cross" was two words. [Laughter]
§ MR. HANBURYwas understood to say that Charing Cross was neither a town nor a village.