asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will consider introducing legislation to provide severe penalties for any person found guilty of unlawful telephone tapping.

: Under the existing law it is an offence for a member of the staff of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs to intercept a telephone message contrary to his duty. The penalty laid down is imprisonment.

The legal position in regard to telephone tapping by other persons and in regard to other unauthorised access to telephone calls is being reviewed at present with the object of introducing further legislation to cover them.

: Does the Minister not see any implied indication in the question that there is unlawful tapping, and would he not make the same admission to his brother?

: There is no implied admission whatever. I can assure the House and the Deputy that all possible precautions are taken by the Department of Posts and Telegraphs to ensure that there is no illegal tapping of telephones. We are now reviewing those precautions in an effort to improve them. Included in that review is consideration of legislation to provide for severe penalties for such unofficial tapping.

: I thought there might be supplementaries from opposite on that question.