§ Mr. WILKIEasked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the delays to business occasioned in Scotland north of Edinburgh and Glasgow by breakdown through storm in the overhead telegraph trunk system, he will now proceed to have the system put underground with the view of remedying this defect at an early date, and at the same time providing work for the unemployed?
§ Mr. PEASEThe provision of underground cables between Edinburgh or Glasgow and the North of Scotland would involve heavy expenditure, and cannot1744W be undertaken at present. I fully appreciate, however, the importance of electrical communication to the fishing and other industries in the north of Scotland, and I have under consideration the questions of specially strengthening one of the overhead routes and of providing a wireless service between Stonehaven and a station in the south for use in emergency.