§ *SIR EDWARD SASSOONI beg to ask the Secretary of State for India if he would state to the House when the reduction in the Indian telegraph tariff, as promised by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, will be announced; and, whether any difficulty has arisen in the negotiations to account for the delay.
§ LORD G. HAMILTONI cannot as yet state when the proposed reduction in the telegraph rate to India will take place. The consent of various parties has to be obtained, and for this time is required; but I am not aware that any difficulty has arisen in the negotiations.
§ *SIR E. SASSOONArising out of that answer, will the noble Lord say if it is intended to wait until the assembly of the International Telegraphic Conference next year, when Great Britain will have the high privilege of meeting on equal terms the representatives of Venezuela and Patagonia?
§ LORD G. HAMILTONI do not think that question arises.