TELEPHONE MORE POPULAR

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 71, 10 April 1937, Page 6

TELEPHONE MORE POPULAR

-Prp.ss Association.)

Record*Breaking Year in Dominion 16,589 NEW USERS

iBy TelegraDh-

WELLUn GTUiN } n,ast JNignt. "This has been a record-breaking year for the telephone system," stated the Postmaster-General, the Hon. F Jones, in an interview, during which he was able to give the results for this br&nch of the Post Office for the financial year just ended. "Last September," continued the Minister, "the first record was made when the total number of subscribers passed tbe best peak point of tbe pre. depression period. Tbe end of the financial year saw tbe previous peak point ' exceeded by no fewer than 5322 subscribers. New connections made during the year also constiibuted a record. It was in 1926 that the telephone system showed its greatest expansion, with the addition of 13,368 new subscribers, but in the year just ended no fewer than 16,589 fresh connections were made'to the Domin. ion's exchanges. Allowing for relinquishments, the net gajn last year has been 8975 subscribers, which constitutes a third record, because during the whole history of the telephone system, when it was growi'ng rapidly from small proportions, this rate of gai'n has never been experienced, last year's record being at least 700 bet. ter tban the gain in any previous .12 months." ' ' That telephones are an essential part of the life of New Zealanders is well proved by- the fact that 70 per : cent. are , installed in residences, the remaining 30'pei: cent. being for purely business use," continued the Minister. "These proportions have existed..for many years, and in this year's great expansion, the residential demand has been maintained. The . British telephpne system, analysed from. the same viewpoint; shpws quite ; fche reverse. position, .70 ;per. cent. of the connections being business, and . 30 per cent. residential. Australian canditions . approxim ate more to tbose of tbe ..Dominion, and also.. show -a very substantial number of residential telephones, which constitute 57 .per cent. . of the total, business connections being 43 per cent. "New Zealapd 'a rapid telephone expansion," the Postmaster-General added '"has given . the engineefing staff • of "the Post and Telegraph Department ' an extremely. busy year, not only in keeping pace. with the* current demand 'for tele phones, biit in providing for an extehsion of the toll business which follbws the rising tide of subscribers. This is why the Department within a few months will be laying a new design of telephone cable across Cbok Strait. It will more than double the present ehannels for telephone . conversations betw"au the North and South Islands."