OVER 100 PHONES NEEDED

Chronicle (Levin), 11 March 1947, Page 4

OVER 100 PHONES NEEDED

LITTLE HOPE FOR APPLICANTS . IN LEVIN • • > , Over 100 applicants for individua) telephones and party lines are awaiting fulfilment at the Levin Post Office, said the postmaster, Mr. L. A. Whitham, when commenting on the situation locally. "Consider4ng the population of Levin, we are just ,as badly"off as Wellington, and I cahnot see aiiy relief in the near future," he added. Besides the 100 applications received, there were many in the rural areas, who were anxious to have telephones eonnected, but who realised the hopeltssness of the present situation. , Eveh if telephones were available there was an acute shortage of materials necessary for installations. Cable, wire and arms were in very short supply. There were 16 applications frOffi Waitarere, which at present had only two lines, but many more would be forthcoming if material and phones becarne available. The first major undertaking by the pdst office would be the re-cabling of the whole of Levin, . and this would have to receive ptiority. , Commenting on the situation generally, Mr. Whitham said that despite this temporary inability to give the required teiephone service, sOme consolation could be found in the Lact that -New Zealand held a high place in the teiephone world. A diagram he had in his possession showed the Dominion to hold third place in the ratio of telephones per population. The United States of America was first with 21 "telephones per 100 of population, Sweden was second with 18, and NeW Zealand third with between 16 and 17. Countries sueh as Great Britain were as low as 10th, with eight phones per 100 population. Spain has two and Peru is last with one teiephone per 100 population. The United States has over half of the ' world's telephones, Europe two thirds and the rest of the world one third. ■«— i t—mmmmmm—mmm J ^ _ *