§ Mr. Toucheasked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he is aware that a telegram handed in at the Members' Post Office between 7 and 8 p.m. on Thursday, 10th March, and addressed to a telephonic address at Norwood Hill, Surrey, was not telephoned to the addressee until after 7 a.m. the next morning; and if he will state the reason for this delay.
§ Mr. BurkeI very much regret to find that the telegram in question suffered delay in reaching the office from which it should have been telephoned on 20th March. It is not customary to disturb telephone subscribers after II p.m. unless the text of the telegram clearly indicates urgency, and the officer in charge took the view that the text of the message to Norwood Hill 97 did not justify disturbing the subscriber until the morning of the 21st. I am having the reason for the excessive delay in transmission investigated.