§ Sir A. HOLBROOKasked the Postmaster-General if his intention has been called to the fact that at a recent fire at Cookham the police were unable to get into telephonic communication with the Maidenhead Fire Brigade, owing to the bell which should ring when a call was made to the Bourne End Exchange being out of order; whether he has made an inquiry into the matter; and whether the inefficiency of the connection had been reported?
3024W
§ Viscount WOLMERInquiries were at once instituted into this occurrence and show that a wire serving the night bell at the Bourne End Telephone Exchange became accidentally disconnected in the evening before the fire. This was not discovered until about 2.20 a.m., when the caretaker operator answered the call. The bell should have been tested before the switchroom was left for the night, and I am taking suitable notice of this omission.