§ Mr. COURTHOPEasked the Postmaster-General whether larch is a timber which will take creosote; and what are the respective cost and average length of life of telegraph poles of uncreosoted English larch and of creosoted foreign pine?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Sydney Buxton)Larch will absorb creosote, but not nearly so well as red fir. The Post Office has but slight experience of uncreosoted English larch, but the life of poles made thereof is thought to be about seven to ten years. The life of creosoted red fir poles is very much longer. If the cost of uncreosoted larch be taken as 100, the cost of creosoted larch is 134, of uncreosoted red fir 77, and of creosoted red fir 119.
§ Mr. COURTHOPEasked the Postmaster-General how much foreign timber has been used by the Post Office during the past four years for new telegraph and 1363 telephone poles; whether any such foreign timber has been used in localities in which locally-grown timber has been offered to his Department for this purpose; and, if so, why such offer has been refused?
§ Mr. SYDNEY BUXTONDuring the past four years about 50,000 poles a year have been used by the Post Office. As regards the latter part of the question, the hon. Member, I think, misapprehends the position. Timber, wherever grown, has to be sent to be creosoted before it can be used, and as creosoting involves expensive plant there are only a few places in which it can toe carried out. Generally, as regards the use of home-grown timber, I have endeavoured as far as possible to obtain tenders from growers and dealers in English timber so as to utilise homegrown timber. I am sorry to say that there has not been very much response to my invitation; but at the present moment I am glad to say there are a few tenders out which I hope may prove satisfactory. I am anxious to do what I can to encourage the use of home-grown timber, but of course the question of suitability and the question of price must be taken into account. I am glad to say that I have come to an arrangement with the Office of Woods and Forests to take a certain amount of timber from them for telegraph and telephone purposes.
§ Mr. COURTHOPEalso asked why in the case of a tender for the supply of locally-grown larch for telegraph poles in the neighbourhood of Crowborough, Sussex, the owner was required to send his timber to the creosoting stations at Cardiff or Newcastle and to bring it back to Sussex before it would be accepted by the Post Office?
§ Mr. SYDNEY BUXTONAt the time the tender was received there was no means of dealing with larch poles at a creosoting depot in the South, and delivery could only be taken at Newport or in the North. This year tenders for delivery in London or at Eling (Southampton) are being invited. On delivery a contractor's responsibility ceases provided that his poles are satisfactory, and the contractor in question was not required to bring the poles back to Sussex.