LYTTELTON NEWS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16428, 23 January 1919, Page 9

LYTTELTON NEWS.

SOCIAL AXD DAXCE. A highly successful eo<:i:'l and dancc in aid of the Naval Dependants' Fund was held last evening in tho Excelsior Hall, Lyttelton. Thcio was a large attendance. The music was provided by ILr A. Arncscn, ■while Mr H. S. Harper acted m M.C. THE TELEPHONE SYSTEM.The Postal and Telegraph Department's action in curtailing the hours during which bureau telephones may be used is causing much dissatisfaction in Lyttelton, where- it is thought that telephone subscribers are labouring 'under sufficient disabilities. Tho high annual fee required by- tho Department for making direct connexions with 'the city has induced the majority to have their telephones connected with the local bureau. Tho new arrangement regarding telephone bureaus, by which the hours of business have been fixed from 9 a.m. until' 4 p.m., was adversely criticised by the Lyttelton Borough Council at its last meeting, when tho whole position in regard to the Lytteltois. telephone servicc was discusscd. It was mentioned that tho port was not well served with slot telephoned, there being- two only, one on the ferry wharf and the other in the post office. Attention was drawn to the wide discrepancy between the charge made for sending .a message on . a slot telephone to Lyttelton, and from Lyttelton to G'hristchurch. In tho former instanoe a charge of one penny wag made, but the slot telephone charge at Lyttelton was sixpence, although the service in each case was exactly similar. An endeavour w.ss made several years ago lo induce the Department to irotal several slot telephones in ' convenient parts of the tort, j making a uniform ohargo of threepence for each communication. j l