TELEPHONE AND POSTAL CHARGES.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 554, 3 August 1920, Page 2

TELEPHONE AND POSTAL CHARGES.

Great indignation-is J'elt by uirai telephone subscribers against the heavy increases in the annual payments for telephones beyond one mile from a bureau. Subscribers realise that the recent increases in wages, clue to the cost of living, must be met by heavier subscriptions, and they are therefore willing to pay the extra El lint rate, but they cannot see why the additions for extra distances should be so yreat. On the lace of things we are inclined to' a»rec with them. The poles, which are niaimy of Australian hardwoods, such as jarrah, last for many years, and the Vvires arc practically everlasting; the batteries on these outdistrict telephones need less Frequent renewal than those belonging to town

residents, because they are not aseri nearly so often. It is difficult, therefore, to see where the justification conies in for extras, amounting to K2 per mile after the first mile, S3 beyond two miles, and £4 per mile beyond three miles. These addition. 1 make the totals anything from 33 1-3 to 100 per cent, greater than the oh: rates. There is also a question of good faith involved: prior to the last elections the backblocks settleis wen essured that the Government would make provision for cheaper telephones for them; while it is admitted that the recent rise in salaries has made the fulfilment of this pro mise impracticable it is quite unfair j that the position should be so drastically reversed. Certainly, had scoresof present subscribers had any inkling that the new scale was likely to be imposed they would never have subscribed in the first place; in fact, the understanding that the old rate was a fixed one was a condition under which they signed the agreements. When the present terms run out there will surely be a great reduction in the number of subscribers. The labour shortage will be relieved, and if this is the intention of the Government the purpose will be achieved on a larger scale than is reckoned on. Exception is also taken by business people to the imposition of the extra Hat rate immediately in stead of at the end of the term con tracted for, but as wages have already gone up we presume this policy is necessary in order to make the service pay its way. But as a mat tor of good faith and also a busi ness proposition the authorities will be well advised to make substantial reductions in the charges against ru ral subscribers. In fixing increases for postage tlu responsible Department has alsi gone to the extreme, in that there i> an increase in actual postage • i ates and a decrease in the weight allow ed for i yiven denomination of stamp. The four ounces for letters (now charged at twopence) might well have been left at that instead of being cut down to 2 ounces. These imposts will bear heavily first of all

on the business community, but will sooner or later gravitate down to the general public, which must ultimately pay the piper. Postage can be reduced in respect to circularising, much of which can be substituted by newspaper advertising, which medium has always been the cheaper, but in regard to ordinary correspondence and accounts there can be little relief. In our opinion the whole of the proposals should be revised, anomalies cut oat, and certain charges made more reasonable, otherwise postal and telephonic business may decline to such an extent that there will be, not a gain, but a loss on account of a big reduction u annual turnover, to say nothing of the obvious injustices inflicted on the public.