§ 34. Mr. Lewisasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that in Colchester new subscribers wishing to instal a telephone or old subscribers wishing to add an additional telephone line are being informed by the Post Office authorities that no new lines will be available until January of next year; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this state of affairs?
§ Major TryonI am aware that difficulty is being experienced in providing telephone service at Colchester owing to an abnormal increase in the number of applications. In normal circumstances the plan for the necessary extension of the plant would have taken 12 months to complete, but I am pleased to say that an advance instalment should be ready for service by next summer.
§ Mr. LewisIs Colchester particularly unfortunate in this matter of telephones, or is the situation equally unsatisfactory in other towns of similar size throughout the country?
§ Major TryonSome areas are more heavily pressed than others, but we are doing our best to put the matter right.