§ COLONEL LOCKWOOD (Essex, Epping)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether the Post Office authorities decline to renew the licence for the District Messenger Company.
§ MR. HANBURYThe company are acting under two instruments. One is a licence under the Telegraph Acts which enables them to erect call-boxes in the houses of their subscribers, and the other is an authority under the Post Office Acts to deliver letters. It was intimated to the company in 1896, when the circumstances of the case were somewhat different, that the Postmaster General, as then advised, would not renew the licence on its expiration. The licence has in any case still three years to run; and, in view of the increased services rendered to the public by the company, the Postmaster General has recently been in communication with the company with the view of considering whether the call-box licence could not be renewed, coupled with some modification in the arrangement as to delivery of letters; and the whole subject is still engaging his attention.
§ COLONEL LOCKWOODWill the question of reducing the royalty also enter into the consideration?
§ MR. HANBURYI do not think so. We have already reduced the royalty sufficiently.