§ 65. Rear-Admiral BEAMISHasked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the village of Ditchling, Sussex, has no telegraph office; and can he state when a telegraph office will be established?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThere is already a call office at the Ditchling Post Office by means of which the public can despatch telegrams by telephone, and there is a telegraph office at Keymer less than a mile distant. The number of telegrams likely to be handed in at Ditchling is inappreciable, and the establishment of a telegraph office would not be warranted.
§ 66. Rear-Admiral BEAMISHasked the Postmaster-General whether he can see his way to provide a public telephone call office for day and night service in Ditchling?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONA telephone call office is available at the Ditchling Post Office, and the sub-postmaster has expressed his readiness to attend to calls which may be required after the normal hours of counter business, under the usual condition of the payment of a fee for disturbance. The provision of a call office kiosk available for day and night service in addition to the facilities provided at the post office would not be justified unless a guarantee were furnished to make good any deficiency between the annual expenses and the receipts.
§ Colonel DAYCan the right hon. Gentleman say what. would be the fee for this service?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONUsually a shilling.