§ 25. Sir J. D. REESasked the Postmaster-General whether Stanmore is more than ten miles distant from London, so as to be included in trunk telephone calls; whether all places in Middlesex should be ordinary calls, seeing that it is in order to be connected with London that telephones are installed in houses in the country and in small towns and villages in Middlesex; and whether, under these exceptional circumstances, the present regulations, entailing delay and expense, will be amended or altered in this behalf?
§ The ASSISANT POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Captain Norton)Stanmore is more than ten miles distant from London, and under the existing arrangements calls between that place and London are properly treated as trunk calls. It is not possible to arrange that calls between all places in Middlesex and London shall be treated as local calls, but the question of telephonic charges generally is at present receiving my right hon. Friend's careful consideration in connection with the proposed revision of the rates of charge for telephone service, when more suitable arrangements will be made.