§ Mr. Hoggasked the Assistant Postmaster-General the cost to the Post Office of installing the single-handed type of telephone instrument as compared with the older type in which receiver and mouthpiece are in separate pieces; and the cost charged to the public of installing the two types, respectively.
§ Mr. BurkeThe rental charges for subscribers' telephone service are the same, whatever type of telephone is provided; but the standard initial charge for connection, which varies from 5s. to 15s. according to circumstances (plus 15 per cent. surcharge), covers only the provision of the older (pedestal) type of telephone with separate receiver and transmitter pieces. A single extra connection charge of 5s. (plus 15 per cent. surcharge) is normally made for supplying the black hand-microphones in which the transmitter and receiver are in one piece. No telephones of the pedestal type have been purchased by the Post Office for a number1520W of years, and it is therefore not possible to make a comparison of current costs of the two types.