MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, will he state whether the District Messenger Company pays any royalty or tax to the 1328 Post Office; and, if so, what the amount of the royalty is, how it is calculated, and where the amount will be found in any accounts laid beford the House; on what ground the royalty in question is exacted from the company, and whether in pursuance of any judicial decision affirming the liability of the company to pay it; has the Post Office, since the establishment of the company, organised a special service with the special object of competing with the company; and, if so, has this special service resulted so far in a loss or in a profit to the Post Office; and will the Post Office, in view of the great and increasing use to the public of the District Messenger Company's services, consider the propriety of ceasing to exact from the company the royalty hitherto paid by it.
§ MR. HANBURYThe company pays a royalty on telegraph call boxes calculated at the rate of 6d. per call box, with a general royalty of £25 per annum. This royalty is exacted on account of the company's operations in the use of such call boxes being an infringement of the Postmaster General's telegraph monopoly. On the 14 th of April, 1891, a decree was made by the Queen's Bench Division restraining the company from transmitting telegrams and conveying letters in violation of the exclusive privileges conferred upon the Postmaster General; and the company has since carried on business as regards telegrams and letters under the licence and authority of the Postmaster General. The company is required to pay to the Postmaster General 1d. upon each letter which it delivers, and pay over such postage to the Postmaster General. On the other hand, the Postmaster General pays to the company for services rendered ½d. per letter out of moneys voted by Parliament. The amounts paid over by the company appear in the finance accounts presented to Parliament under the heading of "Gross Receipts." They are not shown separately. The Post Office organised an express delivery service for the purpose of meeting a public want as soon as this was ascertained to exist, and the service is largely used by the public. Its establishment has not resulted in a loss to the Department, and it is believed to be profitable; but owing to its being worked in connection with the other services of the Department it is not possible to state exactly the amount of profit earned. It 1329 is not proposed to make any further reduction in the Royalty upon call boxes, or to increase the payment made to the company for the delivery of letters.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESMay I ask my right hon. friend whether he can arrange that this royalty shall appear separately in the finance account, and whether he is aware that eleven out of nineteen Cabinet Ministers are box-holders?
§ MR. HANBURYI cannot say anything about the latter point, but with regard to a separate account I think a Return ought to be made to the House showing what the expenses are.
§ MR. HANBURYI do not like to reply for the Post Office, but I should think there would be no difficulty about it.