MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, what is the rule of the General Post Office with regard to proportions of deficit to be paid by guarantors in the case of newly-established postal telegraph offices, the receipts of which do not cover the expense of working?
§ MR. HANBURYSince the Budget Reform of last year, the rule has been that the guarantors pay only half the deficiency, instead of, as formerly, the whole of it, in those cases in which the receipts from guaranteed telegraph offices do not cover the expenses. When there are several guarantors for one office, the question of the apportionment of the payment among them is entirely for their own consideration. The Post Office holds them severally as well as jointly bound.