§ 22. Sir G. SCOTT ROBERTSONasked the Postmaster-General the result of the experimental employment of automatic telephone calls in one of the suburbs of London, and whether the experience thus gained justifies the belief that such a system is applicable to larger areas?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEAs stated on the 24th March last in my reply to the question asked by the hon. Member for Monaghan, the experiment with automatic telephone equipment at Epsom has proved fairly successful. It is clear that the automatic system is applicable to larger areas, and arrangements have accordingly been made to instal automatic exchanges in the following towns: Accrington (700 lines), Darlington (800 lines), Dudley (500 lines), Grimsby (1,300 lines), Newport (1,800 lines), Paisley (1,100 lines), Portsmouth (5,000 lines), Stockport (950 lines), and Leeds (6,800 lines). The exchange at Darlington will be opened in a few weeks' time. An experimental installation of automatic equipment for sixty-five subscribers' lines is to be tried at Chepstow 1075 in order that the suitability of equipment of this type for small exchanges may be determined.
§ Mr. J. HOGGEIs it easier to get a telephone call on these automatic telephones than on the ordinary instruments?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI think it is very considerably easier, judging from my own experience.