§ MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether, in the account showing the gross amount received on account of the telegraph service of this country for the year ending 31st March, 1900 (£3,847,000), the sum received as royalties from the National Telephone Company is included; if so, what is the amount paid by the Telephone Company; and whether his attention has been called to the Parliamentary Paper. Post Office Telegraphs, No. 34, dated 21st February, 1901, in which it is set forth that the loss on the working 761 of the telegraphs in this country is £587,452 for the year; if so, whether he will consent to the immediate appointment of a commission or committee to inquire into this question of a growing deficit in the telegraph administration.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThe sum received from the National Telephone Company for royalties during the period in question was £129,853 16s. 10d. It was included in the account of gross telegraph receipts. The Postmaster General thinks that no useful purpose would be served by the appointment of the suggested committee.