§ Colonel HARRY LAWSONasked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the necessity of lowering the Press telegraph rates between England and China, the offer of the Chinese Government to transmit provisionally viâ British cables telegrams from Pekin and other points in China to England at the rate of 85 centimes a word, representing a reduction of 40 per cent. on present rates, will be immediately accepted; and whether the good offices of His Majesty's Government will be available in helping to induce the Russian Government to accept the same rates for Press telegrams sent viâ the Siberian land lines?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe proposed arrangement is being discussed with the Russian Government, and it is hoped that a satisfactory settlement may be reached before long.