Captain CLAYasked the Postmaster-General if it is the intention of the Post Office authorities to abolish party lines in towns which have previously been served by the National Telephone Company; and, if such be the case, if he will reconsider his decision, in view of the great inconvenience and expense to which small tradesmen will be placed?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe provision of ten-party lines in towns was given up by the National Telephone Company some years before their system was transferred to the Post Office, and as such lines in town systems are found to be both costly and inefficient I do not propose to revive that form of installation. The same objections do not apply to the provision of party lines in rural districts and a considerable number of such lines are now being installed at the special rates recently introduced by the Post Office. Two and four-party lines in towns are being provided and continued by the Post Office so long as the proper number of subscribers can be maintained, but the Post Office, like the National Telephone Company, is unable to continue a two-party line if one of the subscribers withdraws and only one is left to make use of it, or to continue a four-party line for one or two subscribers.