§ MR. HAYDEN (Roscommon, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster-General, whether he is aware that a local telephone exchange has just been established in Mullingar; and whether, in view of this fact, the postal authorities will meet the wishes of the people by erecting a trunk line to Dublin as soon as possible.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. HANBURY,) PrestonThe Postmaster-General has not received any application for the extension of the trunk telephone system to Mullingar. In view of the distance between Dublin and Mullingar, the cost of the circuit would of course be very heavy; while the receipts would not be likely to justify the expenditure. It might, however, be possible to provide a circuit under a guarantee from the National Telephone Company, who have established the local exchange.