§ Sir WILLIAM BULLasked the President of the Board of Trade, whether he is aware that the registrar of joint stock companies has recently refused to register the memorandum and articles of companies proposing to carry on the business of telegraph and telephones unless the memorandum of association contains the words so far as it lawfully can or may, and that a considerable number of persons have lodged memoranda and articles of association not containing these words, and owing to the refusal of the registrar to register the companies they have been put to expense in altering the provisions of the memorandum of association; will he say whether this action has been taken by the registrar in pursuance of a request from the Postmaster-General and in order to protect his monopoly and that of companies which have been licensed by him; whether there is anything in breach of the Postmaster-General's monopoly in the mere registration of such a company; is he aware that such a company can be properly formed and carry out a large part of the business of a telegraph and tele- 1960W phone company without infringing such monopoly; whether it is possible for a company to obtain a licence from the Postmaster-General to carry out any part of its work for which a licence is required until it has been registered; and will be explain under what authority the registrar of joint stock companies adopts the course in question?
Mr. BUXTONI understand that the action of the registrar of joint stock companies in asking for the insertion of the words in question was originally taken at the suggestion of the Postmaster-General. The matter is receiving further consideration, the result of which I will communicate to the hon. Member.