§ 65. Dr. SALTERasked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that the conditions of registration of a newspaper at the General Post Office for transmission at inland newspaper rates do not fix the percentage of advertising matter that a registered newspaper may contain; whether any percentage is enforced in practice; and, if not, whether a paper consisting wholly of advertisements can. be registered as a newspaper?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThe. answer to the first portion of the hon. Member's question is in the affirmative. In practice, the conditions laid down in Section 20 of the Post Office Act, 1908, for the registration of a publication for transmission at the inland newspaper rate are not considered to be complied with unless it contains a proportion of news or similar matter amounting to at least one-third of its total contents, thus allowing up to two-thirds for advertisements, etc.
§ Dr. SALTERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the fact that in this-publication which I hold in my hand, the "Motor," although it is duly registered as a newspaper, there are only 45 pages which could be passed as news out of 196; and, therefore, on his own showing it does not comply with the regulations?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONI am not aware of those facts, but as the hon. Member has drawn my attention to it I will inquire into the matter.
§ Dr. SALTERIs he aware that a. similar state of things relates to the paper called "Punch "?