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Hokitika Guardian, 12 August 1920, Page 2

Tub complaint raised at the meeting of the County Council this week against the increased charges for the use of the telephone in bureaux work was very timely. The increases do not appear to be warranted on any grounds, and merely throw additional charges on the back block settler, without giving him any benefits for the increases. It may be assumed that the obliging local telephonists at country stations will not be receiving any of the extra two millions being raised to assist in paying extra salaries to the permanent staffs in the central offices, so that the extra impost on the country people is very unfair. The telephone lines and bureaux are all established and in running order. The Department will not have any extra cost to meet, and there is nothing whatever 'to justify the great increase put upon the people without apology or explanation. Time was when New Zealand was justly proud of its postal services and the extent to which they were, popularised. Sir Joseph Ward the most progressive and advanced PostmasterGeneral the country ever had, used to say that by increasing and cheapening the postal and telephonic facilities for the people the more they were used, and the greater the direct return in postal business, as well as the indirect return in the commercial prosperiy of the country. The present Government would reverse the methods which were proved so successful in the past by adding enormously to the cost of using the public conveniences. This at a time when the bulk of the capital cost for lines and offices is at an end, is remarkable indeed. It seems to djselose an inverse ratio of statesmanship as between Reform ways and Liberal methods. New Zealand derived great kudos for adopting the penny postage and its other advanced reforms affecting the Depnrt- , mcnt granted to the people under the Liberal regime. Those reforms are taken from the people now by a Government styled ‘(Reform,” There is surely a good deal of sarcasm about the name after all—a contention long held by those who doubted the sincerity and ability of the present party in power to exercise wise domestic government.