TELEPHONE RECORD

Evening Star, Issue 22459, 2 October 1936, Page 8

TELEPHONE RECORD

N.Z. HAS 133,460 SUBSCRIBERS FOURTH POSITION IN WORLD COMPARISON [Special to the ‘ Star.’] WELLINGTON, October 2. “ The highest number of telephone subscribex's ever recoi'ded in tjhß history of New Zealand was reached on September 30, with a total of 133,460 ” stated the Postmaster-General, the Hon. F. Jones, in an interview to )< highly satisfactory growth in the telephone branch,” added the Minister, "is another indication or the steady progress of the Dominion out of the last economic depression, the influence of which on this branch of the department’s business was to cause the loss of 10,385 subscribers, or approximately 8 per cent., wie lowest total (122,470) being reached in July, 1933.” “ How quickly and completely the telephone branch of the department has recovered is proved by the fact that the highest point of pre-depres-sion years—l32,Bss, in December, 1930—has now been passed, with 605 to spare. During the present year the monthly increase in subscribers has averaged 645, but September was distinctive, with 812, the greatest monthly net increase on record.” “If the present progress is maintained the Dominion,” concluded the Postmaster-General, “ may yet soon improve upon the high position which it holds in telephonic use in comparison with other countries in the world. New Zealand’s position at the present time is fourth, with a density of over 10 telephones in use per hundred of population. It is headed only by the United States of America, Canada, and Denmark. ”■