§ 14. Mr. RAFFETYasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the delays in accepting new subscribers at the Hampstead telephone exchange; that the controller has to inform the new stub-scriber that a delay of about three months in the provision of a circuit will probably occur; and that it may be necessary to allot a telephone number recently rented by another subscriber whose name may 719 still appear in the telephone directory; and if he will say what steps are being taken to overcome these difficulties and to satisfy the demands of business people who wish to have telephone facilities promptly provided?
§ Mr. HARTSHORNDuring the past 12 months the demands for telephone service in the neighbourhoods of Hampstead and Golders Green have been unexpectedly heavy, and consequently the present Exchange equipment became exhausted before the new Exchange could be brought into operation. This Exchange is being provided in a building which has been erected for that purpose at Golders Green and will be ready for service in April next when the difficulty will be removed.