§ Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEasked the Postmaster-General the date that a public telephone call-office has been or will be erected in Donnington-on-Bain; and what is the residential rate?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHIn view of the expense involved, it is not at present practicable to provide a call office at Donnington-on-Bain except under guarantee. A proposal is being examined for establishing a rural automatic exchange at Stenigot and if this scheme materialises, a call office would be installed at Donnington, and the annual rental for private subscribers within two miles of the exchange would be at the standard rate of £8 a year.
§ Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEasked the Postmaster-General whether in view of the hardship involved in a telephone rental of £14 10s. a year from the inhabitants of Ludford should they desire a telephone at the residential rates, he will consider reducing this rate?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHI will have inquiries made to find out whether there is any prospect of obtaining the requisite eight subscribers to warrant the opening of an exchange at Ludford at the basic rate, and will communicate the result to the hon. and gallant Member.
§ Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEasked the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the telephone requirements of Tealby; what is the highest and lowest charge for existing local subscribers; whether he is aware that more subscribers could be got if he saw his way to substantially reduce the prices; and if he will give the number of subscribers and the number of population?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHThere are three subscribers connected with Tealby exchange each of whom pays a rental of £8 a year plus the usual charge of £1 a year for night service. At exchanges with fewer than eight subscribers the rentals are assessed on the costs involved; and I am unable to give preferential treatment to any particular locality in the matter of telephone rentals. The estimated population of the area served by the Tealby exchange is 700.