§ Colonel DAYasked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been drawn to the complaint by Messrs. Robert Davies and Company, of 16, 18, 20 and 22, Grayson Street, Liverpool, whose average number of telephone calls is 2,000 per quarter; whether he is aware that for the past 12 quarters the Post Office has demanded payment for an average of 140 calls in excess of the firm's own records, and on complaint has asked the firm to split the difference; whether the Post Office has any accurate method of check ing the calls made by individual firms; and, seeing that the only method of deal ing with the complaints of users of the telephone service is to inform complain ants that if they do not pay the charges made the telephone will be disconnected, will he have further inquiries made?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONI am aware that Messrs. Davies and Company have made frequent complaints of over charges in respect of their local calls, and that settlement was effected on two occasions by the acceptance of half the amount in dispute, not because there was any doubt of the accuracy of the Post Office records, as was explained to these subscribers, but in order to bring the disputes to an amicable conclusion. As regards the system of the registration of calls in use in the Post Office, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the explanation given to him on the 24th March last. In connection with a special check made on Messrs. Davies and Company's circuit in December a number of omissions from their record were brought to their notice and I am satisfied that there was no reason for reducing the amount of the latest account which they questioned. As they failed to pay the amount outstanding there was no other course open but to give notice terminating their agreement for telephone service.