NEWTOWN'S WANTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1791, 2 July 1913, Page 8

NEWTOWN'S WANTS.

BETTER POSTAL FACILITIES

CHEAPER TELEPHONES.

A deputation representing the recently formed Progressive Association in Wellington South waited upon the PostmasterGeneral (tho Hon. 11. H. Rhodes) yesterday to ask for improved postal and telephone facilities for their district, lhe deputation was introduced by Mr. A. 11. Hindmarsh, M.P. Mr. John Castle said that the principal request tho association wished to maka was that , the charges for telephones 111 Newtown should be reduced. At present a telephone subscriber in Newtown nod to pay as much as Xl 3 a year lor a telephono councction, which charge, ho thought, was extortionate. If tho fees were reduced tho number of telephones Subscribed for in Newtown would be very much iucreasod. Ho also urged that thero was need for more slot telephones in tho district, and he suggested tho followiue as suitablo sites:—Luxford Street, Dorham ports ; Caprera Street, Melrose j Constable Street; and the junction of Riddiford Street and llintoul Street. Mr. Castlo also made a request that tho Post Office at Newtown should bo kept opes for. business from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and i that the time for tho closing of mails should 1)3 made a little nearer to tho time of closing at tho G.P.O. Mr. 1?. J. Caterer, tho only other member of the deputation, supported the requests made, by' Mr. Castle. < Mr. in reply to a question;by Mr. Hindmarsh, said that there was no extra charge imposed on tho telephone subscribers of Newtown. The higher rates were all due to the distance of the district from the exchange. Mr. Hindmarsh said he thought some special allowance might bo made to subscribers in a city, like Wellington which \vas of extreme narrowness and great lohgth, and which .hod its telephone exchango at. one end of it. Mr. Hindmarsii- then asked tho Minister when ho proposed to go on with tho construction of a post office at Brooklyn, a site for which had been acquired, and a'..vote .for which had been put or the Estimates. Tho Minister's Reply, The Minister, replying, said that di& L tanee from' tho exchange was the-.sole reason for tho higher rates to telephone subscribers at Newtown. Twp. wires bad to bo taken right on to Newtown for every new subscriber, and the Department could not reduco tho rates. No doubt, when tho automatic system was established, tho rates at Newtown would ■be reduced, probably to, the sanio amount as was charged in ■ the city. Thero would bo .a satellite exchange -in Wellington Southi tiieir wires,-would go to that exchange, and a proportion of wires would run. from tho satellite exchange to the central one. He hoped to be able to rnako a statement about the installation of the' autdnmtio system in a' day or two. Regarding slot machines tile • cables ' were not suitable for them, and they were not working well at long distances. He was importing machines of another type which, ho hoped, would prove more suitable. .When thosß machines .arrived lie would take the requests of the deputation for slot telephones into consideration. Whether .tho post offioo could bo, kep3 open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. must do<j pend upon tho amount of business dontf in. tho office. Ho would have a report' prepared, from which lie would bo able to say whether the business of tho officf warranted tho extension .of time. Htf thought ho might bo able to arrange that mails at.Newtown should close 15 minutes later, but this partly depended on tlia running of tho trams. He would look' into tho matter and advise Mr. Hindmarsh as to what could bo done. Ift answer to Mr. Hindmarsh's"request that tho post office at Brooklyn bo. built at once, ho remarked that thero were »■ number of. post offices still unbuilt fot which ,money l . had.;bc>en>votcd'every yeaf - for four or five years., These must claim the.Government's attention along with thf proposed office at Brooklyn. Ho would'lx considering tho building of. all- these of' flees presently. .