TELEPHONE SYSTEM

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 124, 22 November 1932, Page 9

TELEPHONE SYSTEM

DECLINE IN SUBSCRIBERS

"NpT APPRECIABLE1

. The prevailing economic depression has,had the effect of retarding to some exten,t .the development pf %h.e local telephone-exchange systems throughout the Dominion. The falling-off in subscriptions has, however, not been appreciable, and the Public. Works Statement, presented in the House- of Representatives to-day, states that it is expected that the reconnection of those subscribers who have relinquished their telephones will be one of the first indications of a return to prosperity. Owing to the fact that new subscribers to the telephone system have not been forthcoming as freely as heretofore, the expenditure of capital in extending tele-phone-exchange plant has been proportionately reduced. -

The expenditure for the financial year in extending and improving the telephone, telegraph, and wireless facilities throughout . the Dominion amounted to £249,946, against £419,756 for the year ended 31st March, 1931. Due to the tapering off in funds, activity in' telegraph, telephone, and wireless development has necessarily been somewhat restricted.

The further extension of the longdistance telephone network within the Dominion has been temporarily suspended, and in the meantime attention has been directed to investigational work designed to provide additional car-rier-current telephone channels over the existing Cook Strait telegraphcables. .