COUNTRY TELEPHONES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 18, 16 October 1920, Page 8

COUNTRY TELEPHONES

* WHAT THE DEPARTMENT IS DOING Some information regarding the supply of telegraphi and telephone material for the country districts was given to the ' House of .Representatives by the Post-master-General (Hon. J. 6. Coates), in ' ljsply to a question asked by Mr. A. D. - M'Lecd (Wairorapa). The Minister said ;fliat the number of poles required to /carry out the extensions required in New Zealand was about 3801000. Thu number of poles in stock ,or in sight was 63,000. .Then there was a shortage of many materials required for country telephones. The position had been-eased as far as. insulate were concerned by local manufactures, which) had turned out well. The insulators were made by a, Timaru coiniiaiiy. 1 The Department, added the Minister, had tabulated tho works that were to be carried out during the next twelve months, or as soon as circumstances permitted. Tho lim:s needed raado. a.total of 3800 miles in tho Wellington district, 4500 miles in tho Auckland district, 1800 •miles in Canterbury, and 1300 miles in Otago These were lines for whicli authority had already been taken. Tho extraordinary growth, of the northern portion of New Zealand was illustrated by the figures. The works bad been placed by the Departmental engineers in their order of importance. A shipment of poles was to bo lauded in November. The most serious shortage was of poles, though thero were other,shortages to bti faced. The number of telephone connections last year was 8000, a record for tho cotintrv districts. The Department hoped to make good progress during thij next •twelvo months in meeting the needs .uf the country people. It would continue to give preference to returned soldiers. Replying to other questions on the same, subject, the Postmaster-General stated • that the Department w making the best ■use it could of old and temporary poles. The rule laid down was that main lines had to be constructed of hardwood poles, but connecting lines had bren erected with) other material. Tht; officers of the "• Department had adapted materials m many ways in their efforts to get work, done. One, of tho difficulties was an insufficient supply of wooden arms for 11m poles. "The Department was prepared tu pay a g'ood price to any sawmillcr who would undertake to cut arms of rata, but bad not found anybody prepared to ■undertake the worlr, Mr. Smith (Taranaki): I can put you on a cheap scheme. The Minister retorted that he lind quite A number of schemes before Mm. lie wanted somebody to do the ivoa-k. A question about the erection of country post offices was asked by Mr. G. Forbes (Hurunui), who stated that offices we.ro badlv needed at many points. Mr. Coatfis replied that the Government had laid down a nile that the , erection of public buildings at the p/c----gent time was not to bo undertaken except in casfes of absolute necessity: The available labour and material wero required, for building homes. ■ TRADING IN OPOSSUM SKINS,;. Tho Animals 1 Protection Amendment Bill, which provides for lioeascd trading in opossum skins, was yesterday read a second timo in tho Legislator Council, and was referred to tho Statutes KeTffilon Committee.