§ 68. Major GLYNasked the Postmaster-General how many new rural telephone exchanges have been opened within the past 12 months how many new subscribers have been added to the list; in how many villages or rural railway stations have call bone 3 been put up in the same period; what has been the cost of these works; and the anticipated. return on the money se expended?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHDining the year ended 31st December, 1929, 165 new rural exchanges were opened. There was a net increase of 125,885 telephones throughout the Kingdom, of which 18,264 were connected to rural exchanges, and these included 3,312 new call offices established in villages and at rural railway stations. The cost of these works is not readily available as 1773 a separate item, nor is the anticipated return; but there will be a substantial loss on the service in rural districts.