§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEI think I have your leave, Sir, to mention a matter in connection with a question which I asked the Postmaster-General on Monday, 30th October. The question related to the use of the letters "H.M.S." in telegrams. The answer of the right hon. Gentleman being so unsatisfactory, I was obliged to put some supplementary questions. You, Sir, in the exercise of your prerogative, thought I had asked sufficient, and said that I had had a very full answer. Since then I have received from the Postmaster-General a very courteous letter stating that what he then said was said under a misapprehension. I would like you to give the right hon. Gentleman an opportunity to correct his mistake across the floor of the House.
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI shall be very glad to respond to the hon. Gentleman's invitation. The facts are that in the course of a prolonged cross-examination the other day the hon. Member asked me whether if the letters "H.M.S." were used in a telegraph form in capitals they would be counted as one word. I told him that I thought that was so. It appears that by the Post Office regulations only letters written in small type may be counted as one word. I discovered my error and at once communicated with the hon. Member, asking his permission to correct the report in the official record of the proceedings of the House.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in my question I corrected the mistake into which he had fallen, and that his answer made no reference to the particular point to which I referred, but dealt with something in regard to the text of a telegram? What I asked then and what I ask now is whether, when the letters "H.M.S." are put in an address in a telegram they are counted as 1283 one word, but that when put in capitals in the address above the text of a telegram they are counted as three words; and whether, in view of—
§ Mr. SPEAKERI think the hon. Member had better put his question on the Paper.