HC Deb 24 June 1935 vol 303 cc794-5
25. Mr. BURNETT

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that a member of the public using a public kiosk for telephoning a telegram has only the cost of the telegram to bear, whereas a telephone subscriber using his private telephone is charged, in addition to the charge for the telegram, 1d. per call; and whether he will take steps to have subscribers placed in a not less favourable position than non-subscribing members of the public?

The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Major Tryon)

The object of waiving the call office fee in the case of telegrams dictated from kiosks is, by treating call Offices virtually as post offices, to facilitate the handing in of telegrams by the general public at all hours of the day and night. Telephone subscribers have the advantage over call office users of being saved the inconvenience of having to visit a post office or call office to hand in their telegrams. To waive the penny fee in their case would involve a heavy loss of revenue which I do not feel justified in incurring until the numerous concessions recently made to users of the telegraph and telephone services have been in force long enough for their financial effects to be ascertained.

Mr. BURNETT

Is the Postmaster-General afraid that my constituents in Aberdeen may withdraw their telephone subscriptions in order to get cheaper telegrams?