§ Mr. THOMAS-STANFORDasked the Postmaster-General whether ho has received any communication from the municipal authorities of Brighton with reference to the provision of improved telephone facilities in the town; whether he is aware that dissatisfaction exists with the present service, especially among the business community, and particularly with the sub-division of the town among various exchanges; and whether, seeing that before the War his Department purchased a site for a central exchange, and that a sum of £30,000 was included in the Estimates for the cost of building, in view of the requirements of the town and of the amount of unemployed labour now available, he will arrange for the commencement of the building without delay?
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§ Mr. PEASECareful consideration is being given to the question of providing in the most suitable manner for the future telephone requirements of Brighton. It will be desirable in future to consolidate the exchanges taken over from the corporation and the National Telephone Company, but no provision was made in the Estimates for beginning the work on the new Post Office building during the current financial year, in view of the many more pressing works which had been held over during the War. In the meantime, every effort is being made to make the service as efficient as possible.