§ Commander BELLAIRSasked the Postmaster-General for how long the existing agreement with the Canadian Marconi Company will prevent the lowering of telegraph rates to Canada below the present cable rates; if the Beam system is a monopoly; and, if so, what company owns the rights?
§ Viscount WOLMERUnder the agreement with the Canadian Marconi Company the rates for telegrams by the AngloCanadian Beam Service may be altered at any time by mutual agreement between the Post Office and the company. When arranging for the opening of the service the Post Office proposed that the rates should be lower than the existing cable rates; but although the company were disposed to agree, they represented that they could not secure the co-operation of the companies which conduct the inland telegraph service in Canada, and the proposal had to be abandoned. The Marconi Company owns the patent rights in certain important parts of the plant used at the Beam stations.