TELEPHONES

Hokitika Guardian, 17 April 1930, Page 5

TELEPHONES

PROPOSED INNOVATIONS

GOVERNMENT PROPOvSALS

(By Telegraph—Press Association).

ROTORUA, April 17

The following official communication was issued by Sir Joseph Ward (Post-master-General) :—Tne application of business principles to State enterprise is about to be further extended in the Post and Telegraph Department by tne establishment of a commercial branch. At the outset, the activities of the commercial branch will be confined to the telephone service.

Broadly, the functions of the branch will be the promoting of a more extensive use of the telephone, fostering the maintaining of cordial. relations between the Department and sections of the community which it serves, and planting and promoting healthy, well balanced developments of the telephone service to ensure its continuance as a self supporting unit of the Department in the carrying out of these functions. Personal contact with subscribers and prospective subscribers will play a most important part in the commercial branch and will make a dose study of the telephone requirements of all classes of the community.

Business agents will seek out and supply prospective subscribers with full particulars of me various classes of telephone services available, and will assist generally in erecting a class of service best suited to individual requirements, Subscribers will be fully informed also of the extensive toll fatuities that exist for a community, witji subsc-rbers in a distant town and of the various auxiliary services, miscellaneous items and equipment which uie Department has to offer in the shape of automatic, and semi-auto-matic inter-community systems, the ex.ension of telephones, extension hells, loud sounding gong etc., together with terms and conditions under which such services may be obtained. In short, salesmanship will largely supplant the method of “order taking” that prevailed in the past.

In the execution of these plans the closest competition will exist between coimnerial and engineering staffs, so that , the utmost . promptitude and satisfaction will be given in. regard to installation work, and that additional requirements in plant will be made available at the proper time. With a view of making more attractive the terms under which the telephone service may he obtained, a system is being introduced under which new as well as existing subscribers may, if they so desire, pay their telephone renewal monthly in advance, instead of half-yearly in advance, ns at present Subscribers who elect to pay monthly will receive on or about a certain date each month, n combined rental and toll account, the effect of which will be that the due date of payment rental and toll fees will coincide,, the rental being paid one month in advance with the preceding pionth’s toll fees. It is expected that the system of monthly payments will bring the telephone services within reach of thousands of residents who find it inconvenient to pay half-yearly. Tt is not unlikely also that this method of payment will appeal to a large number o< existing subscribers. A schedule of rates for monthly payments are now being prepared.

It has also been arranged to extend. during the summer months, the Sunday and holiday exchange attendance at a number of. seaside and tourist resorts (such as Eastbourne, Picton, lielensville, Akaron, Queenstown'). which on Sundays and holidays have large community of interest with an important city or centre nearby, and which in the past have had only a very limited attendance during the week ‘ends.

Other innovations will be introduced from time to time with a view to giving more personal services and further popularising the telephone, as a means of communication of enabling subscribers generally to obtain the greatest possible benefit from their telephone installations.