MANAKAU TELEPHONES.

Otaki Mail, 16 June 1922, Page 2

MANAKAU TELEPHONES.

NO ALTERATION TO BE MADE. A meeting, convened by Messrs C. C. Holmes and Howard Andrew, to con- '■ sider the question of suggested tele- I phone improvements, wus Held in the Town Hall, Manakau, last night, and | u as attended by fifteen persons, exclusive of Mr S. P. Eddy, postmaster j ■ of Otaki. and Mr Lrkell. foreman linesman. Mr Lcs. 11, Atkins was appointed chairman. | Mr Holmes said tho true reason of . the meeting was to make sure the sub- ' scribers did not lose privileges they at ; present held, and to hear suggestions tor better facilities, as suggested by correspondents in the "Mail." All were anxious to get improvement in the service, despite the. fact that Manakau was well seised for a small town. [ They had the hours from 0 a.m. to o p.m., but through the courtesy of .Mrs Bradshaw had au extra hour, between 7 and S, in the evening. He felt sure that all would agree that Mrs Bradshaw had done much, and despite the fact that she had given U£) her time she received no remuneration from the Department for keeping open. Mrs Bradshaw had taken . exception to the leters in the "Mail," considering aspersions had been cast on herself and staff. If subscribers could not prove no aspersion was meant they would lose their concession iu the evening. Personally, he could not do without the telephone at night, lie proposed j that the two correspondents who wrote J the letters, if present, be sports enough I to put their side of the question. He I was pleased to see Mr Eddy present, and no doubt he would explain the approximate cost of any change mooted by the meeting. He was afraid, however, that any change made would incur such an expense that subscribers would decrease by GO per cent. Mr Andrew, after giving the history of the installation of the telephone service at Manakau, and incidentally [stilting that he was the most impatient man on telephones in the Dominion, j said they had been advised, years ago, to have a rural scheme. He had linkj ed up with Otaki and then the Manu- ■ kau exchange was mooted. They found I the scheme prohibitive. Te lluro. said I Mr Andrew, had been held up as an example, but it must be remembered they were linked up by means of party wires. He advised to gel on the bigger scheme, if possible. Kcferriug to Mrs Bradshaw he said he knew she hud taken persona! offence, but in his opinion then' had not been the slightest re'flection cast on her. The only way to get. better service, in his opinion, was to nay i!2o a-picce to link up or have party lines. Some considered Manakau could be joined to Otaki without extra fee, and without trouble. The Chairman said it was essential ' to lift the stigma from the postmistress i and staff, and in admitting they had j lirst-elass officers, suggested that the following be moved:—"That this meetI ing of subscribers to the Manakau telephone exchange take this opportunity of expressing their appreciation of the i courtesy and generally efficient discharge of the duties in connection with j the working of this exchange; (2) Fur- . ther that this meeting assures the postmistress that expressions of opinion, as appeared in the "Mail," were in no' way actuated by dissatisfaction arising out of the working of the exchange, bat were purely (he outcome of a belief, erroneous or otherwise, that it would be to the benefit of Manakau subscribers to link up with a larger exchange." This was duly proposed by Mi 11. G. Bryant, seconded by Mr Inge, and carried unanimously. Mr I-Mdy, in speaking on the matter, -aid Mr- Bradshaw had no redress, and that she had to report anything appearing :n tin.- paper. it had evideatly caused her worry to explain the matter tu the- Department. Mr Holmes again urged that the correspondents be asked to make an explanation, but there was no response. M.r Eddy .-aid there was a desire in some quarters for Manakau to join with Otaki. but to do so they would have to have 2d duplicate wire-, payable by the subscribers. Relative to the hours he said from one to fifty subscriber.- would have the 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. service, and 51 to 100 8 to S; at present they would have to have another 24 subscribers to get an extension of hour.-. Some forty-six subscriberhad been linked up to Otaki from Te Horo, and the system was working splendidly. The average cost was £5 lit.* to £* per member. If seven miles away, said Mr Eddy, it would cost £23 a year for an exclusive exchange. For eight mile? the cost would be £25 10s. exclusive, or £6 is 4d each. Mr Erkell pointed out that up to seven could be linked together as a . special favor. j Mr Holmes Paid it would be an absolute catastrophe to lose his telephone between 7 and S in the evening, and as money was not flush he thought it advisable to let matters remain as at present, provided Mrs Bradshaw agreed to again give the concession. Personally, he had strong objections to party wire.-. He accordingly moved in this direction, which was seconded by Mr! Andrew, and carried. I Mr Holmes agreed that Mrs Bradshaw should be asked to give the concession, while Mr Hornig considered it would be better to have the extension I in tee morning. j The Chairman said the meeting was j a representative one, and he felt j sure that Mrs Bradshaw would not victimise those who did not write the letters. He also felt sure the correspond-! ems had no wish to reflect on Mrs Brad- j shaw. He admitted that if the even- - ing service was discontinued the 'phone j would be useless to farmers. Mr Hornig considered Marakau should get further concessions than enjoyed at present, and should agitata j for concessions in ringing Wellington . and Palnerator:. In answer to Mr Holmes Mr Eddy' stated that if 31 subscribers vrera ob-

tained, and £1 extra paid. Manakau would get the S to S service. Mr H. O'Doanell said if Mrs Bradshaw refused to open in the evening the Department could take out his telephone. A notion by Mr Holmes that the Manakau exchange remain as at present, and that Mrs Bradshaw be asked to continue to open between 7 and 8 in the evening, was carried. Votes of thanks were accorded Messrs Eddy and Erkell, the "Mail" representative, and the Chairman.