CORRESPONDENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 9 July 1923, Page 1

CORRESPONDENCE

TKi.Ki’IIONK ( IIAIKiK". (To t! f Kilitor). Sir.- !>ll the ISih .limitary the I’i'st inasior-t :<-IKTM 1 ciHlx’ll a >latoluent In ha ivsuoil to (lie lH'\v.'|i;i|)i‘r I’ri-s iiii'oi!j'liout- die Dominion annoiincino nil iinreti-vil sdioilnlo of ii’li'pjioiii* fliiir«'(-i mi'l stalin'' tlmt. t! n• (oivi-i'iimi'Ht' .•ipiircvr-il of the ]iro|)o>til no "a scheme lii-ino submitted to ('liaii!l.ei's of ('ommeive si ml other orj'imisations interested. tor an expression oi opinion, thereon.

In this statement the I’ostmastorCcneral explained liis reasons lor increasing the total telephone revenue by £•_>!):I prttn it it in. As a result of this statement, and the invitation for criticisms, the Canterbury I’rugres. League .-.ot up a special ( nmmiltee ill business men ro investigate tiie I elephenn Charges and th<‘ act omits ol the T'dephone Braneh. At tins investigation. the I’ostmasier-Deueral was repr -s.■ nil'll l.y the (lief Telegraph Kugmeer. the first assistant secretary of the postal department, the district telegraph engineers of Canterbury and Otago, as Well as tbe Stores Audiior. Al ter careful eoiisidcrai ion ot all information wliiiii the Department was able to supply, the. select committee reiiurted on otli Alanli l:>~t. and tins renort was rdoptod hv the Executive of tin l !.eague two days later, topics o! the report, were then forwarded to the I ’rime Minister, Postmaster-! leneral. and to the Chief Oilh ors of the I’osl and Telegraph Dcpari lnent. and also to ail members of Parliament. Ihe report lias been praitivally unanimously endorsed by all business Associations throughout the Dominion.

Eevoinl formal acknowledgement and advice that the conclusions arrived at nr the League would receive the careful consideration of the (invernment. mi reply Inis been received in answer to (lie definite conclusion of the Commit lee as follows;—‘■That it should Infinite practicable lor the Department while paying interest on capital, and providing against depreciation to prolit,uldy carry oil its telephone business on its revenue based on the substantially increased ihargcs ot the last two years without asking more from telephone subscribers as a whole titan they at present pay.” Without meeting any of the points raised in the report, the Prime Minister in his present Budget, has announced a large increase in telephone charges and as a cousei|iiem e of this aunotiiu cmeut the executive <d the Canterbury Progress League on the'lilt insl.. passed the following resolution “That this Executive oi the ( auteftniry Progress League strongly protests against the telephone charges being increased, a- now proposed. without, the criticisms made in the League's report being fully answered, and that the attention nl Ihe Government he drawn to the lint that Chambers ot Commerce and other similar bodies throughout tie.* Dominion have a'lim-l unanimously endorsed the League’s report.” \\V understand that the debate on liie Budget will take phu e nil ill'--day next. If you agree that a report. .];,.}i ;i ., that referred to. should, in the public interest, have a lull and reasoned reply before any attempt is made to arbitrarily increase the telephone siilec-ription-, we trust that you will use your influence to bring it al.nlit. I am etc.. p. li. CI.IMIK. Organiser. Canterbury I’roeress I. eague.