§ Dr. ADDISONasked the Postmaster-General whether he has caused any inquiry to be made into the dangers which have been stated to arise from the use of telephones by persons suffering from open tuberculosis; and, if so, whether he is in a position to state the result of his inquiry?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELA prolonged investigation was undertaken by the eminent bacteriologist. Dr. Spitta, at my request and has recently been completed. It extended not only to telephones used in public call offices, but also to certain telephones which were installed at a sanatorium for the regular and exclusive use of patients in all stages of tuberculosis. As a result Dr. Spitta reports that, in his opinion, "the transmission of tuberculosis through the medium of the telephone mouthpiece is practically impossible." I propose to issue a full statement to the Press, as the subject is naturally one of considerable public interest.
§ Mr. GOLDMANasked the Postmaster-General whether the whole of the telephone business being now in his hands, he is prepared to abolish area boundaries, and so remove the in conveniences and inequalities arising from their existence?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI cannot abolish boundaries for local business, as that would involve the abandonment of all trunk fees. But for inter-town business I am anxious to substitute as soon as possible a uniform system of charges on a zone system for the present anomalous area 541 system. But as the agreements with subscribers for a local service are based upon existing areas, the change can only be effected gradually, and after careful examination of all the conditions.
§ Mr. GOLDMANIn view of the fact that all the areas have disappeared by reason of the Government having taken over the telephones, and that, as a result of this change, there is no need for maintaining the area basis, and the hardships of the system can be removed, will the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration the desirability of doing away with that basis?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe areas have not been created on account of the business having been partly in the hands of the National Telephone Company. The area is necessary in order to determine what are local calls and what are trunk calls. If I were to abolish local areas it would mean that I should get no revenue for trunk calls between, say, London and Liverpool, or London and Manchester.
§ Mr. GOLDMANIs it not a fact that the area merely maintained the control of the National Telephone Company and that these junctions are not junctions at all; and seeing that the National Telephone Company as such has disappeared is there any need for maintaining the junctions and the hardships which the junctions cause?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe hon. Member is under a misapprehension. Wherever there was a Post Office telephone exchange there was also an area attached to that exchange.
§ Mr. GOLDMANasked the Postmaster-General whether he is now prepared to order that all Post Office telephone ex changes shall be kept open for calls continuously, as was the case under the National Telephone Company; and whether, in those Post Office exchanges where a disturbance fee for night calls is made, he will now discontinue that practice?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELIs is my intention to maintain a continuous attendance at all the exchanges taken over from the National Telephone Company. In the last few years the Post Office has opened a large number of exchanges in very small places in rural districts which were not served by the National Telephone Company on account of the unremunerative character of the business. At a number 542 of these exchanges extra fees are charged for night calls because the ordinary subscriptions are insufficient to cover even, the cost of the day service. I think it is better to open exchanges on these conditions rather than withhold telephonic communication, but the circumstances of each case are kept constantly in view, and a continuous service is given without, extra, charge as soon as the increase in the number of subscribers justifies such a step.
§ Mr. GOLDMANIs it not a fact that the company in all their systems had a night service, and in view of the fact that the telephone can only be of use to meet requirements of emergency, will not the Government see its way to keep the continuing system of the National Telephone-Company and have an all-night service in towns?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI have already stated that I propose to continue the practice of the National Telephone Company in all their exchanges. Wherever our exchanges are similar in character to those of the company there will be a similar service, but there are one or two small villages, with only one or two subscribers,, where it is not possible to give, without extra charge, an all-night service.