LESS USE OF COUNTRY PARTY ’PHONES WANTED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 46, 3 October 1949, Page 4

LESS USE OF COUNTRY PARTY ’PHONES WANTED

Concern at the difficulty of securing the use of telephone party lines during the busy hours of the day was expressed at a recent meeting of the Rangitaiki Branch of Federated Farmers. Although it was realised that party lines are unavoidable in some country districts it was stated that some people appear to use the lines for unreasonably long periods, sometimes apparently only for gossip. It was suggested that the Postmaster might be asked to. send a circular out to all party line subscribers asking them to be brief in their conversation during the busy hours. Another suggestion put forward was that such a request be printed more prominently in the telephone directory. Speakers pointed out that during the peak periods from about 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., when the rural carriers leave Whakatane, and again between about 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. unimportant social conversations should be curtailed and business conversations kept as short as possible. Inquiries by the Beacon reveal that -the telephone regulations have for many years limited party line conversations to six minutes when other subscribers are waiting to use the line; this regulation is now printed in the telephone directory, but there is no way of properly enforcing it. -Although no decision was reached there was a general feling at the meeting that as far as possible, party line subscribers should assist each other by making their social calls during the periods that the line is not otherwise busy.