§ (SECOND READING.)
§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Lord STANLEY,) Lancashire, Westhoughtonformally moved the Second Reading of the Bill.
§ Motion made and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."
§ Mr. J. H. LEWIS () Flint Boroughsexpressed his satisfaction that a Bill of this kind had been introduced, because he hoped that under it a remedy would 722 be found for a grievance under which his constituents suffered. The boundaries of the Holywell telephone area could not be defended on any principle whatever. The boundary included the towns of Holywell, Greenfield, and Bagillt—an urban community of 8,000 or 9,000 inhabitants; then it went across the mountains to the Vale of Clwyd, down the middle of the Vale, dividing it in a most extraordinary manner, as far as a point near Bodfari, and then back over the mountains to Holywell Holywell was completely separated from other telephone areas, to the great inconvenience of the people of the district. 723 Appeals had been made time after time to various Postmaster-Generals, but without success. If the right hon. Gentleman would only look into the matter he would see that the area was a perfectly absurd one. The question excited considerable interest locally; it undoubtedly constituted a substantial grievance, which he hoped means would be found of remedying under this Bill.
§ LORD STANLEYpromised to look into the matter at once and communicate with the hon. Member. He ventured to appeal to the House to allow the Second Reading to be taken; it was necessary that this stage should be taken at the present Sitting, and several hon. Members desired to discuss the next Order on the Paper.
§ Mr. WEIR (Ross and Cromarty)complained that no explanation had been made of the Bill.
§ Lord STANLEYsaid that at the request of several hon. Members he made his explanatory statement on the money Resolution in Committee.
§ Mr. WEIRurged the right hon. Gentleman to see that in any negotiations that might ensue the National Telephone Company did not get the best of the bargain. He also asked whether Scotland was likely to participate in any benefit which might accrue from the Bill.
§ Lord STANLEYsaid that according to his experience Scotland generally managed to get her share.
§ Mr. WEIRfeared the contrary was 724 too often the case. Scotland fared far worse than Ireland, but things would be very different if she had a solid phalanx of eighty Members to press her claims.
§ Bill read a second time and committed for Monday next.