THE TELEPHONE COMPANIES.

HC Deb 14 February 1895 vol 30 cc747-8

CAPTAIN BAGOT (Westmorland, Kendal)

I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether he will place upon the Table of the House within a day or two Returns showing the earnings of the different telephone trunk wires for the past three years which he proposes to buy from the Telephone Companies, the price he intends to pay for them, and copies of the Reports of the Post Office experts on their condition and value?

MR. J. W. BENN (Tower Hamlets, St. George's),

also asked whether the signing of the agreement would not be postponed until the question of the municipalities obtaining licences was discussed in the House?

Mr. ARNOLD MORLEY

The valuation of the trunk wires of the Telephone Companies, which is now being proceeded with, will take some time to complete. I am, therefore, not in a position to furnish the hon. Member with information on this point. I have also no accurate information with respect to the earnings of those wires.

MR. H. S. FOSTER (Suffolk, Lowestoft),

asked whether the House would have an opportunity of discussing the question before the agreement was signed?

MR. MORLEY

said that hon. Members interested in the question would have an opportunity of balloting for a day to bring it forward.

CAPTAIN BAGOT and MR. FOSTER

asked the right hon. Gentleman whether he did not give a distinct promise to the House last Session that hon. Members should have an opportunity of discussing the matter?

M.R. MORLEY

I made no promise of that kind.

MR. FOSTER

asked whether the Government would give facilities to discuss the matter before the agreement was signed?

MR. MORLEY

said he was not prepared to answer that question.

In reply to Mr. A. C. MORTON.

MR. MORLEY

repeated that he made no promise that the signing of the agreement should be postponed until the question had been discussed in the House, and said he might remind the hon. Member that the agreement was in existence when he came into Office, and was not made by himself. The reason why he postponed the signing of the agreement last year was in order that the Session might be brought to a close.