§ Mr. MITCHELL-THOMSONasked the Postmaster-General whether, in the case of non-urgent telegrams en clair to Australia which may, if necessary, be delayed for twenty-four hours, and which pass in transmission over the lines of more than one company, the first sending company will be required to transmit free the date and time at which the sender handed the message to them; and, if not, how any subsequent company, handling the message, are to be aware of delay which may have already taken place?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELExcept in the case of the North Atlantic cables it is the general practice to transmit, free of charge, the time and date on which telegrams are handed in, and this will apply to non-urgent, half-rate telegrams. The North Atlantic cable companies do not transmit the particulars unless they are paid for, and if it is found in practice that this gives rise to inconvenience in the case of the half-rate telegrams, the matter will be further discussed with the companies.