§ MR. BROADHURSTI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether the Telegraph Department of the General Post Office in all cases refuse permission to the National Telephone Company to take its wires over the postal telegraph poles; and, if so, whether he will state the reasons for the refusal?
§ MR. HANBURYApart from the arrangements covered by the agreement between the Postmaster General and the National Telephone Company of the 25th March, 1896, which has been presented to Parliament, it is the practice of the Post Office to refuse permission to the National Telephone Company to take its wires over postal telegraph poles, both on grounds of policy and because such an arrangement would involve divided maintenance, to which there are practical objections.