§ MR. H. ROBERTSON (Hackney, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he will consider the desirability of abolishing the custom of counting the words "by post," or "by train," when inserted in telegrams as words of the telegram; and whether, in relation to such charge, he has considered the section of the Telegraph Act requiring messages to be delivered by post or handed to railway companies free of charge?
§ MR. HANBURYThere is no special reference in the Telegraph Acts to delivery of telegrams by train, and such delivery is merely one form of delivery by special means according to an agreement between the sender and the Postmaster General. The Postmaster General, therefore, sees no reason why any additinal words which are telegraphed in order to give effect to such an agreement should not be paid for by the sender. Delivery by post stands on a different footing, inasmuch as the Telegraph Acts recognise the right of the sender of a telegram to have his message delivered free by that means. The Postmaster General will consider whether, consistently with the other rules of the Service, it is possible to allow the necessary instruction in such a case to be telegraphed free of charge.