asked the Postmaster-General the difference in time taken at present by his Department dealing with the Cheltenham area for installing telephones from the date of ordering when compared with 1938.

In 1938 the normal period was under two weeks. It is now about two months in priority cases, where plant is available, and longer in other cases. The change is due to the present severe restriction of our capital expenditure, and the consequent limitation of labour and stores available for connecting up new subscribers.