HC Deb 31 July 1923 vol 167 cc1268-9
68. Sir H. BRITTAIN

asked the Post master-General whether his attention has been called to the fact that, in dealing with the account for telephone charges to the City Corporation, the Chief Commoner claimed that an error of 10,000 calls in favour of the Post Office had been made; and whether the correctness of that claim has since been admitted?

Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANS

I am sorry to say that, as the result of a clerical error, an account rendered to the City Corporation contained an overcharge of 10,000 calls. The matter was rectified as soon as attention was drawn to it.

Sir H. BRITTAIN

Seeing that a very large number of subscribers have protested against similar errors and failed, how is it that the City Corporation were so very fortunate as to have this little error acknowledged?

Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANS

It was not a little error but a mistake in the addition, which showed the amount to be 24,000 calls when the proper and correct addition was 14,000.