MANY NEW TELEPHONES INSTALLED ON WEST COAST

Grey River Argus, 13 April 1948, Page 2

MANY NEW TELEPHONES INSTALLED ON WEST COAST

All business firms which have been waiting, in some cases, for . very lengthy Periods for the installation of telephones have now had their requests satisfied, the Chief Postmaster, Mr H. E. Rowe, stated yesterday. During the past few weeks, the arrival of 100 telephones has enabled all arrears of connections to business premises to be overtaken, and, in addition, the demands for a number of rural party lines have been met. Gangs of telephone linesmen were busy before the arrival of the equipment, installing lines to various places, and the necessary work of installing the telephones was undertaken with considerable despatch. Most of the new telephones, however, will be on party lines, provision for such installations having been made by agreement with persons having new connections installed in the past year or so. Additional Cables

The main difficulty confronting the Department in Greymouth, said Mr Rowe, was the need for additional cable accommodation. It was hoped to overcome this, however, by the laying of a new cable from the telephone exchange to Sawyer’s Creek. Further telephones are needed to meet the demands of private subscribers. At present it is not known when these can be procured, but the Department is hopeful of being able to meet at least the longest outstanding applications before long. An important new line is being provided from Kumara to Hohonu and Taramakau Settlement, where the installation of a new party line will enable settlers in that area to have the advantage of much needed facilities. Another new line at Camerons will also assist the residents of that area. In Kumara a large number of installations have been made, and with the additional party lines, it is expected that ’the Kumara exchange’s hours will need to be increased in the near future. At present the telephone exchange is operated only from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. and is closed on Sundays and holidays. Other parts of Westland, too, are benefiting by the provision of new telephones and the rural areas which have hitherto not been well served, will receive the greatest benefit.