§ MR. HARMOOD-BANNERI beg to ask the Postmaster-General why he declines to act on the Treasury Minute, dated 7th February, 1896, in reference to telegraph and trunk telephone wires and parochial and municipal rates, which directs that, in cases where higher contributions would otherwise be payable, the contributions shall be increased accordingly; and whether he is aware that all telegraph and trunk telephone wires erected since 1868 escape entirely from the payment of municipal and parochial rates.
§ THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. SYDNEY BUXTON, Tower Hamlets, Poplar)Telegraph and telephone wires have always been regarded as on a different footing from other Government property in respect of contributions in lieu of rates, and I understand the Treasury are not prepared to sanction any departure from that practice. As regards the second part of the Question, the facts are not quite as represented by the hon. Member, inasmuch as contributions in lieu of rates are paid on the trunk telephone wires acquired from the National Telephone Company in 1896.
§ MR. HARMOOD-BANNERasked whether it was not a fact that in many districts not a penny of rates or taxes was received in respect of telephone wires.
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONsaid that if they were trunk telephone wires contributions were paid in lieu of rates. If the hon. Member could give him particulars of any case in which that had not been carried out he would look into it.