§ MR. CHANNING (Northamptonshire, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware of the delays caused to those wishing to use the telephone between Northampton and London; whether the official reports show that these delays are due to there being only one wire, and whether the Post Office can and will obviate them by providing an additional wire, or by other means.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThere appear to have been a few cases of delay recently in telephonic communication between London and Northampton, but in several of these cases the circuit has been temporarily interrupted by unavoidable faults or occupied by traffic diverted from other interrupted lines. There is at present only one direct circuit, but there are alternative routes for London traffic via Coventry and Leicester. A second direct circuit is about to be completed, and it is hoped that, when this has been brought into use, the delay will be entirely obviated.