§ MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he will issue instructions to charge as one word only the name of each place in the United Kingdom; and can he say why in telegrams Woodford Green is charged as one word, but Camden Town as two words, and St. Pancras as one word, but Charing Cross as two words.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINInstructions were given many years ago 1164 that the name of every town and village was to be charged for as one word. The Postmaster General agrees with his predecessors in thinking that this was an intelligible and clearly defined concession, and he is not prepared to extend it to the names of places or districts within towns. The fact that the concession has been made in the case of towns and villages explains the anomaly to which the hon. Member calls attention; and I may add that to do what he suggests would not only involve the telegraph service in further loss, but would create fresh anomalies of a nature much less intelligible than the one he has now in view. As to St. Pancras and Charing Cross, the Postmaster General believes that he is simply following established usage, words having the prefix "St." being universally regarded as one, while "Charing Cross" is always regarded as two.
§ MR. HENNIKER HEATONWill the hon. Gentleman carry out the reform this year or not?
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINWhat is it the hon. Member wants?
§ MR. HENNIKER HEATONThe fulfilment of a promise made some years ago.