§ Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEasked the Postmaster-General whether he has considered the use of Empire-grown hard-wood telegraph poles in place of the foreign soft-wood poles now used; and whether an economy would be effected by using these poles on account of their greater strength and durability?
§ Sir K. WOODThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, there is no ground for regarding hardwoods (which cannot be effectively creosoted) as equal in durability to creosoted Scots pine, of which the home-grown supply has substantially increased of late, or to other softwoods obtainable within the Empire: and on present indications the replacement of softwoods by hardwoods would be highly uneconomical.