THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. MONDAY, FEB. 8, 1909 BACKBLOCK TELEPHONES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 129, 8 February 1909, Page 2

THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. MONDAY, FEB. 8, 1909 BACKBLOCK TELEPHONES.

The reply of the Government to the application of the Kaeaea settlers for the establishment of a telephone service to Kaeaea indicates that the Department is pursuing a strangely parsimonious policy in connection with linking up the backblocks settlements by electric wire. The stipulation by the authorities that the settlers should pay a sum of £l7 per year, the estimated amount of deficit in the working of the office, does not betoken great consideration '"•r those to whom the telephone so much. Without a doubt, our outback settlers regard the telephone as a ver3' important alleviation "of their isolated position, especially during the winter months. Situated many miles from civilisation, with roads practically impassable for half the year, there is small inducement for the pioneer to bring his family to the wilderness. To their credit be it said that our women folk ever bravely shsre the hardships of their husbands in the remote places of the bush, but the conscientious man may well shrink from imposing on his family, conditions which offer few redeeming features. The telephone is a means of rapid commnnication with civilisation in cases of sickness or other emergency,' arifc in districts where wires exist, settlers arc usually content to bring their families. Thus, as a factor in settlement the telephone plays a highly important part, and from a business 'standpoint, the indirect benefit to the country is infinitely greater than can be computed by any process of compiling office returns. In the case of the Kaeaea, a number of the settlers formed into a company with the object of connecting with each other, at their own expense, by telephone. The project is necessarily dependant upon the putting through of the Government line to Kaeaea, and the decision of the authorities to make the settlers pay for a privilege which is extended freely to other localities, is naturally regarded as an infliction. It is to be hoped the matter will not be allowed to rest, and the settlers should have the support of the whole district in agitating for a much needed requirement.