THE MARQUESS OF HAMILTON: (Londonderry)To ask the Postmaster General if he will say how many, and what, towns in Ireland have been connected by the trunk telephone system; whether in all cases the trunk system has been established without any grant from the cities and districts concerned; and, if so, will he explain why the Post Office authorities have required a guarantee of over £500 per annum for the establishment of a trunk telephone from Belfast to Londonderry.
(Answered by Mr. Austen Chamberblain.) The following thirteen towns in Ireland have been connected with the trunk telephone system: Dublin, Belfast, Balbriggan, Drogheda, Dundalk, Newry, Banbridge, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow, and Arklow. In two cases, namely Newry and Banbridge, the connections have been established under guarantee. An extension to Naas is now being carried out under a guarantee. The ordinary rule in; ill cases of proposed extensions is to require a guarantee where there is reason to suppose that the revenue will not cover the maintenance and working expenses. When the working of the trunk system was transferred to the Post Office a number of extensions were made in Ireland without guarantee. Experience has shown that none of the Irish trunk lines, except those between Dublin and Belfast, are remunerative, and there is no reason to think that a Belfast-Londonderry line, which would be costly, would be any exception to this rule.