§ 31. Mr. TURTONasked the Post-master-General if he is aware that, since the suspension of the Gold Standard by Great Britain, a surcharge of 30 per cent. has been charged on radiotelegrams sent from a British ship to a Colonial ship and on all radiotelegrams sent from British ships to Colonial stations; and whether he will take the necessary steps to secure the abolition of this surcharge in all cases where in the Colony or Dominion involved the Gold Standard is suspended?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENIERAL (Sir Kingsley Wood)The accounus for radio-telegrams exchanged between ships registered in the United Kingdom and the ships and coast stations of the Dominions and Colonies are settled on a gold basis. The authorised surcharge is intended to enable the ships to meet this requirement, and is subject to variation. In present circumstances it would hardly be possible to include all the Dominions and Colonies in a special scheme for settlement in sterling instead of gold; and, as any change would result in a loss of revenue, the balance of advantage seems to rest at present with the existing uniform arrangement.