§ MR. LOUGHI beg to ask the Postmaster General whether telephonic communication for the convenience of the Post Office has been established between outlying villages and the country towns in the rural districts of Ireland; if so, whether these telephones can be used by the public; and, if not, whether some arrangements could be made to render them available at a small charge for each conversation.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThe lines referred to have been provided for the transmission of telegrams, and they 849 are terminated at the central telegraph offices in the district. They are not, generally speaking, suitable for use in conjunction with the telephone trunk wire system, as in most cases they are single wire circuits; but it may be possible in some cases to arrange for their use for ordinary telephonic conversation between the places which they already connect, and this is, as I understand, what the hon. Member desires. I will look carefully into the matter and see what can be done.