§ Mr. REMERasked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the fact that the firm of C. H. Brittain, Limited, Old Town Hall, Hanley, were cut off the telephone on the 14th May; whether this firm paid all the charges due that had been rendered to them four days previously, on the 7th May; whether he has had the opportunity of seeing the correspondence which has passed between this firm and the local manager; whether it is possible for firms to be cut off the telephone by subordinate officials; and, if so, whether he will have the whole matter scrutinised by an impartial tribunal?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYI regret to find that, in consequence of the failure of a ledger clerk to credit the firm with the payment which they had made, the telephone service was withdrawn for a day. Suitable notice has been taken of the mistake. Telephones are only disconnected on the instructions of the district manager or his chief clerk. Errors of this kind are extremely rare, but I fear it is impossible to prevent occasional mistakes in the posting of accounts.