§ SIR CHARLES CAMERON (Glasgow, College)I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether he has taken advice as to the powers of municipal corporations to work telephone exchanges in case of their being licensed by the Post Office; and whether, in the view of his Department such work is legally competent to municipal corporations, or would, in order to be competent, require express Parliamentary powers?
§ MR. ARNOLD MORLEYI have consulted the solicitor to the Post Office, and I am advised by him that even if a 1438 Corporation obtained from the Postmaster General a licence to transmit telegrams by telephone, it could not erect and maintain telephonic apparatus, and manage what is generally understood by exchange business at the expense or risk of the corporate funds or rates, without the express sanction of Parliament.