Captain CROOKSHANKasked the Postmaster-General if he can make any statement with regard to the establishment of telephones at rural railway stations?
§ Viscount WOLMERA scheme with the object of increasing the number of telephones at railway stations has been devised in co-operation with some of the railway companies. Under this scheme the use of cabinets and coin boxes will be avoided and the capital and annual costs reduced accordingly. The telephone will generally be installed in the booking office and will be in charge of a railway official who will collect money for outgoing calls. A number of stations have already been provided with telephones under this scheme, and progress is being made as rapidly as possible on these lines. There will remain a considerable number of stations where the traffic does not warrant even the reduced expenditure under the new scheme. At such stations a telephone can only be installed where the railway company is willing to rent one at the standard rates or where the company or the local residents guarantee to make up the difference between the cost and the revenue.