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Hokitika Guardian, 5 December 1927, Page 2

lx is pleasing to learn that the West land Progress League has been successful in securing the requisite number of signatures to the petition for tin continuous telephone to enable the petition to the Department to ho lodged to-day. The result reflects very credit.

ably on the citizenship of the business people in particular and the residents in general, who realise that the status of the town must he maintained in this matter as in others. The value of the 'phone service at all hours of the day and night can hardly he estimated. Its service will ho enhanced greatly, and special value will arise when flu-re is occasion to use it, in emergency. It

will he in this respect that the greatest value will lie found in regard to the all night service. The extra hours available on Sundays and holiday; will ho nothing short of a boon to the community. Here again, the emergency use of the ’phone will supply its greatest value, though it is to be hoped dire emergency will not have occasion to arise. Nevertheless in such instances the continuous telephone will he available, and that- is the essential value of the service it can render. When wanted it will he there, whereas under the restricted hours it. is closed at periods when it- might he of extraordinary value. The country folk, we understand. realised the special value of the extra hours to he added, and gave almost unanimous support to the movement. On the whole, we believe there was very little genuine opposition to the progressive movement. Some difficulty was realised in some cases what the personal value might he-, hut generally, the subscribers regarded the matter from its community value and ungrudgingly gave the required support. Hokitika will now he able to

range beside Orcymouth and Westport in this service, and the facilities for ready interchange of communication should he of value to the sister towns. The service will also lie linked 'up with other parts of the Island, and for connection as required oven with the North Island. This wide connection means removing more definitely the isolation of the town and district, hitherto one of its drawbacks to development. The forward move is therefore all the more commendable, and suggests that our citizens are alive to their personal responsibilities on which depend in no small measure the material advancement of the place itself. The town is in point of fact a reflex of what its people are prepared fo make it.