Mr. POINTERasked the Postmaster-General whether he would state the financial terms under which the Great Northern Telegraph Company were allowed to work the State cable between this country and Norway, and when the formal agreement was likely to be completed and laid before the House?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe payment to the Great Northern Telegraph Company for working the Anglo-Norwegian Telegraph service is at the rate of 1¾ centimes a word for every word transmitted, together with a sum of l½d. per telegram in the case of those telegrams which are collected and delivered by the company. The formal agreement on the subject will cover the general relations between the Post Office and the company which are still under consideration, and I am not at present in a position to say when it will be completed.
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI was asked a question on that subject before, and I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I then gave.