§ MR. WILLIAM ABRAHAM (Cork Co., N. E.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether, in regard to the promised inquiry into the feasibility of extending the trunk telephone system to the towns of Mallow and Tipperary, where the trunk line is already looped in for testing purposes, and taking into consideration the fact that the extension of the trunk system to these towns will entail but little additional expense to the Post Office, he will waive the demand for a guarantee, which has hitherto been insisted on, and grant this facility.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThe inquiry to which the hon. Member refers has for its object the possibility of providing a trunk telephone service at Mallow and Tipperary by means of the existing trunk line between Dublin, Cork, and Limerick without disturbing the traffic between those places. If the service can be given on this condition it is possible that no guarantee of revenue will be required. The wires are, however, not looped into the post offices at Mallow and Tipperary, although they pass through Mallow. Considerable expense will be involved in extending them to Tipperary.