§ 65. Sir R. W. Smithasked the Postmaster-General whether all district nursing associations are charged the business rate of hire for their telephones; and, if so, whether he will consider the question of charging them the lower private telephone rate?
§ Sir W. WomersleyTelephones rented by associations and listed in their names in the telephone directory are charged at the business rate. A telephone in the house of a nurse is charged at the residence rate, provided that nursing is not carried on in the premises and that the telephone directory entry makes no reference to the subscriber's profession. I regret that I am unable to make a further concession. I could not discriminate between one class of telephone subscriber and another.
§ Sir R. W. SmithWould the Postmaster-General not consider the question? I understand from the reply that if it is in the name of the association the telephone would have to be paid for at a higher rate. Surely it is not asking too much that it should be treated as a private telephone, in view of the very few calls that are put through?
§ Sir W. WomersleyMy right hon. Friend the Postmaster-General has given very careful consideration to these matters, because he is very sympathetic towards charitable institutions; but there are difficulties in discriminating between what is a charitable institution and what is not.