§ 59. Mr. WALTER GUINNESSasked the Postmaster-General whether he will arrange for telephone subscribers and others, who occupy premises where the telephone service has been installed for not less than one year, to be allowed to renew contracts by the quarter in order to meet the case of those whose tenancies do not continue for the whole year?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Herbert Samuel)The ordinary form of agreement used by the Post Office for telephone exchange lines provides that the agreement may be terminated by three months' notice at the end of the first year, or at the end of any period of three months thereafter, the payment being made proportionate to the period of use. This seems to meet the cases which the 976 hon. Member has in view. The ordinary form of agreement used by the National Telephone Company provided for termination at the end of the first or of any subsequent rental year on six months' notice; but I propose in all ordinary cases to treat these agreements as being terminable under the easier conditions of Post Office agreements.
§ Mr. W. GUINNESSWill an incoming tenant who has taken premises for three months be entitled to extend the existing scheme without paying for installation?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI should like to have notice of that.
§ 60. Mr. WALTER GUINNESSasked whether, in the case of persons accepting the insertion of an indicator word in their abbreviated telegraphic addresses, inland telegrams will continue to be delivered where the indicator word is omitted by correspondents not aware of the change?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe answer is in the affirmative; but such telegrams cannot be delivered as promptly as if the indicator word were inserted in the address.