§ Sir H. BRITTAINasked the Postmaster-General what is the average delay entailed in the delivery of Press and commercial cables from Great Britain to Canada, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand, respectively; and what steps he proposes to take to expedite these messages?
§ Mr. PEASEAt present the average delay is as follows:
Press Telegrams. Hours. Commercial Telegrams. Hours. Canada 6 … 4 Days. … Days. Australia and New Zealand 4 … 4 South Africa 5 … 2 These figures represent a reduction, when compared with the delay in the early part 1206W of June, of about 20 hours in the case of telegrams to Canada, 7 days in the case of those to Australia and New Zealand,, and 4 days in the case of those to South Africa. This improvement has been due: to the restoration of some of the important cables, and I am assured that the companies are taking every possible step to restore those which remain interrupted. The delay has been aggravated-by a large increase in the amount of Government traffic. Special measures have-been taken to curtail the number and length of telegrams of this description, and in the case of those passing over the system of the Eastern Telegraph Company the priority of transmission usually accorded to Government telegrams has been suspended except in the case of those of a really urgent nature.