HC Deb 21 March 1911 vol 23 cc375-6W
Sir WILLIAM BULL

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the electric cable connected with the Chiswick telephone exchange runs along King Street, Hammersmith, within 300 yards of No. 21, Ravenscourt Park, which is a road, running at right angles to King Street; whether, in view of the fact that no question of wayleaves should be raised by running a connection between the Chiswick main line and No. 21, Ravenscourt Park, and in view of the fact that spares existed on the Chiswick exchange and that no necessity existed for connecting No. 21, Ravenscourt Park by means of a line connecting with the western exchange crossing Ravenscourt Park, for which wayleaves would be necessary, he will explain the reason for the delay which has occurred in supplying Mr. B. H. McCarthy with a telephone; and whether he will produce copies of the letters sent by the Post Office authorities to Mr. McCarthy dealing with this question?

Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension. There is not, and has not been, any intention of connecting No. 21, Ravenscourt Park, with the Western Exchange. The overhead wayleave which was required was for the purpose of connecting the house with the Chiswick Exchange; and the delay in making the connection is due to the difficulty my engineers have found in obtaining this wayleave. I will give instructions for the matter to be pressed forward as much as possible.