§ 12 and 13. Sir GEORGE DOUGHTYasked the Postmaster-General (12) whether now that the establishment of a cable-letter service between this country and America has proved such a great success that no less than 677,000 words were exchanged at the rate of twenty words for 6s. in the first three months of this year, he will at once seek to secure this particular boon of cheap cable communication conferred on the people of Australia and New Zealand at a rate not exceeding ten words for 6s. or twenty words for 10s.; and (13) whether the charge of 2s. 6d. per word for cable service between this country and South Africa is an obstacle to the development of trade between the two countries; and whether, seeing the great success that has attended the establishment of the deferred cable rate and a cable-letter service between Great Britain and Canada, he will at once approach the cable companies with a view of securing for South Africa similar cable concessions and advantages?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Herbert Samuel)I am engaged in negotiations on this subject, but the negotiations are not yet concluded.