Mr. T. THOMSONasked the Postmaster-General how many telephone instruments used by or ordered for the Army during the War have been handed over to the Disposals Board for re-sale; whether some, if not all, could have been adapted for use here in view of the delay in getting supplies since the Armistice; whether he will consider the possibility of buying back these instruments which, if broken up, will only realise a few pence each; and how many instruments have already been recovered from the Disposals Board after having been sent to them for sale?
§ Mr. PEASEUnder the arrangements between the Post Office and the War Office, no telephone instruments which could have been economically adapted for use in this country should have been handed over to the Disposals Board, and I have no reason to suppose that these arrangements were not carried out. I am prepared to consider the question of purchasing any instruments in good condition which may inadvertently have found their way to the Disposals Board and been sold by them.
Lieut.-Colonel GUINNESSasked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the statement on page 3 of the Post Office Memorandum on the new telephone rates, which states that the annual charge will consist of an instalment charge of £7 10s. elsewhere than in certain specified districts, he can explain why Mr. S Pickering, of Kentford, near Newmarket, has received notice that he will have to pay £40 6s. for his telephone in addition to the message fee per call, instead of the payment of £25 15s. payable hitherto, and how he can justify such an increase, seeing that the lines are already installed and that no additional capital expenditure by the Post Office, therefore, appears to be necessary?
§ Mr. PEASEThe installation charge of £7 10s. a year covers only a radius of one mile from the exchange. In the case referred to, the premises are 4¼ miles from the Newmarket exchange. The rental of £40 6s. includes a charge of £10 a mile for circuit outside the mile radius The new telephone rates are based on average costs of providing, maintaining and renewing circuits, allowing for the fact that a large amount of the existing 1625W plant was provided at pre-War prices It would be impracticable to base charges in individual cases on the actual prime cost of the plant in use.
§ Mr. HURDasked the Postmaster-General whether he has gathered recent information as to the means whereby cheap and effective rural telephone services are provided in agricultural countries competing with British producers; and what steps he is taking to give our agriculturists similar facilities?
§ Mr. PEASEFor the benefit of agriculturists in this country a rural party line service is offered at a moderate charge. Every opportunity is also taken to provide public call offices in rural districts where this can be done at reasonable cost or where suitable guarantees are forthcoming.