§ 25. Mr. Ian Gilmourasked the Postmaster-General what is the number of applications for the installation of telephone equipment at present on the waiting list; and how many of these have been placed for over six months.
§ Mr. Edward Short131,200 and 46,000, respectively, at 31st January.
§ Mr. GilmourParticularly in view of the requirement of a year's rent in advance, would not the Postmaster-General agree that the figure is still disconcertingly high, and can he hold out any hopes of reducing it?
§ Mr. ShortIt has shown that the year's rental in advance has nothing to do with it. In fact, the figure has gone up, and not down. As soon as the equipment supplies for the exchanges from the manufacturers are up to scratch, we hope that the figure will drop dramatically.