§ MR. W. T. WILSON (Lancashire, Westhoughton)To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that instructions have been given at the Bristol telegraph office that the staff on duty between certain hours must, should telegraphic messages be waiting, allow them to be delayed, first giving preference to all telephone work, particularly trunk 677 calls; whether such orders have been issued by his direction; and whether he will state why the senders of telegrams are to be penalised in this manner.
§ MR. W. T. WILSONTo ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that on Tuesday, 9th July, upon the arrival of an American mail at the Bristol post office, telegraphists were removed from their duties and sent to deal with letters; whether in consequence delay took place on telegrams; and whether, in view of the fact that the telegrams contain messages of importance to the senders, he will direct that they are not, in future, to be delayed in order that the staff may deal with newspapers and letters.
(Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I will have inquiry made upon the subject of these two Questions.
| Date. | Colony. | Amount of loan. | Purpose of loan. | Rate of interest. | Net amount outstanding on 31st March, 1907. | ||
| £ | per cent. | £. | s. | d. | |||
| 1857 | New Zealand | 500,000 | Payments of debts due by the Colony and purchase of Native lands. | 4 | Nil | ||
| 1866 | New Zealand | 500,000 | Expenses in connection with the New Zealand War, immigration, and other purposes. | 4 | Nil | ||
| 1867 | Canada | 3,000,000 | Construction of railway connecting Quebec and Halifax. | 4 | 328,940 | 11 | 5 |
| 1869 | Canada | 300,000 | Purchase of Rupert's Land from Hudson's Bay Company. | 4 | Nil | ||
| 1870 | New Zealand | 1,000,000 | Immigration and construction of roads, bridges, and other communications. | 4 | 34,481 | 7 | 0 |
| 1873 | Canada | 3,600,000 | Construction of the Pacific Railway and improvement of canals. | 4 | 1,905,558 | 9 | 2 |