§ Mr. NOLANasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that repeated 1027 complaints have been made to the Secretary, General Post Office, Dublin, about the want of effective telephone service between Drogheda and Belfast, etc., and that no notice has been taken of the same, and that, amongst other things, it is complained that frequently delays of over an hour take place in effecting a connection, and that, although the local instruments are in order, it is almost impossible to carry on a conversation by telephone owing to defects in the Post Office or the company's apparatus, so that local users who pay as much as £80 per annum complain that the money is practically thrown away; and whether he will have inquiry made into the matter and will suggest the propriety of effecting direct communication between Drogheda and Belfast instead of via Dublin, and will also suggest an increase in the number of lines?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI regret that the delay to calls between Drogheda and Belfast has been excessive during the last few months. I have already arranged for the provision of additional lines to afford relief, and the work will be completed as soon as possible. I will ascertain whether the traffic is sufficient to warrant the provision of a direct line between the two places. The complaints regarding the service which have been forwarded to the Secretary of the Post Office in Dublin have received full consideration, and have been duly answered as far as practicable. As a result of the inquiries a defective cable has been renewed, and, as a general rule, there should not be any difficulty in holding satisfactory conversation between Drogheda and Belfast, but I fear that recently some conversations have been unavoidably interfered with by the operations of working parties engaged in erecting the new lines.
§ Mr. NOLANIs this a correct statement of the state of affairs which prevails in Drogheda in connection with the telephone service: "We are delayed a long time with almost every call, and, when we do get the call, we simply cannot hear with the noise on the wire?"
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI have answered the hon. Member's question. There has been delay. New lines are now being erected in order to overcome that delay. As soon as they are completed we anticipate that adequate relief will be given.