§ Mr. STAVELEY-HILLasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, inasmuch as the local rates are levied for the yearly or half-yearly period ending on the 31st March next, and as the National Telephone Company, Limited, will cease to be occupiers of telephone property on the 31st December, 1911, and are therefore only paying so much of the local rates for the current half-year as will be proportionate to the time of their occupation within the period of each rate, it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to pay the balance of any such rate on telephone property in respect of the remainder 2850W of the current half-year; whether, if such is the intention of the Government, there is anything in the terms made between the National Telephone Company, Limited, and the Government whereby the Company have made themselves liable to pay the whole of the current local rates; whether His Majesty's Government have at any time made any contributions, in lieu of rates, in respect of trunk lines taken over from the National Telephone Company, Limited, in 1896, or in respect of trunk lines extended or erected since the transfer in 1896; and whether His Majesty's Government will agree not to finally settle the basis upon which they propose to authorise contributions in lieu of rates in respect of buildings and plant belonging to the National Telephone Company, Limited, and about to become the property of the Government, until they have conferred with the executives of the national associations representing the local union assessment committees and other rating authorities?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThere is no provision in any agreement with the National Telephone Company whereby the company make themselves liable for any payment of rates beyond the 31st December next. From the 1st January next a contribution in lieu of dates will be made by the Government on the buildings and plant to be acquired from the company, but I am not yet in a position to state what the exact basis of that contribution will be. Contributions in lieu of rates have been, and are, being paid, in respect of the telephone trunk lines acquired from the National Telephone Company in 1896; but no contributions are made in respect of trunk lines extended or erected by the Postmaster-General since that date. I am unable to adopt the suggestion made in the last part of the question.