§ 70. Colonel DAYasked the Postmaster-General the reason why the switchboards required by the General Post Office, London, were ordered from Germany; and will he state the amount of such foreign tender and the amount of British tenders from British manufacturers?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThe hon. Member has apparently been misled by a false report, which I publicly refuted nearly two months ago. The Post Office has not ordered switchboards from Germany, nor obtained a tender for them from that or any other foreign country; and the rest of the question, therefore, does not arise.
§ Colonel DAYIs it not the fact that switches were delivered at the Post Office with the eases stamped on "From Germany"?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONOh, yes. I have already stated in public that what arrived at the General Post Office was one set of special high-speed telegraphic apparatus from Germany, at a cost of something like £2,000, and that it was for experimental purposes.