§ MR. CALDWELL (Lanark, Mid.)On behalf of the Member for North-East Lanark I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster-General, whether the way-leave powers delegated by the Postmaster-General to a licensee under the Telegraph Act of 1892 can be exercised without the consent of the local authorities in such case.
§ MR. HANBURYThe Postmaster-General, by the agreement with the National Telephone Company of 1896, is required, at the request of the company, to authorise the company, within the areas already assigned to them, to exercise certain way-leave powers which are conferred upon him by the Telegraph Acts. These powers were, by 84 Deed Poll dated March 23rd, 1899, delegated in a great number of places; and a, copy of the Deed Poll has been sent to each such place. In some places, notably Bedford, the local authority appears to have been advised that the way-leaves could be exercised without the consent of the local authority. That, of course, is not the case; and, under the Act of 1892 and the Agreement of 1896, the special consent of the local authority is required in each case.
§ CAPTAIN SINCLAIR (Forfar)May I ask whether the way-leave powers granted to the National Telephone Company by local authorities terminate with the licence of the company?
§ MR. HANBURYCertainly.