§ Captain P. MACDONALDasked the Postmaster-General what is the charge for transferring telephone calls from one number to another on the same exchange; whether he has recently had any complaints as to the amount of this charge; and whether he is taking any steps to have it reduced?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHA charge of 2s. 6d. which covers any period up to three months is made for the continuous transfer of calls to another number. An occasional transfer is charged at the same rate subject to a maximum aggregate charge of £1 a quarter. Objection is sometimes taken by those who make use of this facility, and the question whether any reduction is practicable as under consideration.
§ Mr. W. B. TAYLORasked the Postmaster-General if he will consider the advisability of reducing the present telephone rental of £8 a year at small rural exchanges having from eight to 14 subscribers, with a view to popularising the telephone service in country districts?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHI propose as from the 1st January next to reduce the rental of subscribers connected to the small rural exchanges to that applicable to larger exchanges, that is, £7 a year for business lines and £5 10s. a year for residential lines within a radius of two miles from the exchange. This concession will increase the heavy loss already incurred by the telephone service in rural areas, but it will, I hope, stimulate its development to a substantial extent.