WANTED: CONTINUOUS TELEPHONE SERVICE

Taupo Times, Volume II, Issue 60, 11 March 1953, Page 4

WANTED: CONTINUOUS TELEPHONE SERVICE

FOR some time there has been occasional discussion of Taupo's telephone service, with particular reference to the hours between which it is available daily. At the present time the hours are from six a.m. to midnight on weekdays, and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays. It has been felt by many that the Sunday hours are particularly inadequate and, as re~ ported in our columns, the Ratepayers' Association recently. discussed this aspect of the matter and decided to take it up with the Department. With the present population sufficient to entitle it to borough status there is no doubt that the time has come when anything less than a continuous telephone service is inadequate for Taupo's reasonable requirements. The town's business activities. are increasing in a striking way and will continue to do so. Its growing popularity as a tourist and holiday resort, with large numbers of visitors over a great part of the year, calls for a fuller service. Another factor that makes a continuous service desirable is the wide extent over which the population of the town is spread. Yet another factor is the desirability of being able to communicate quickly in emergencies arising from such causes as sudden illness, fire or accident. Without labouring the point, it is not likely that many would deny that the time has come for a full time telephone service in Taupfr. Although the Post and Telegraph Department has for some time been short staffed there does not seem to be a ny. insurmountable difficulty on this score. It would probably require only one addition to the present Telephobe Exchange staff to enable a continuous service to be given. To obtain such service it would be necessary to present to the Department a petition requesting it and the petitioners would be required to agree to payment of the necessary increase in the rates. The petition would require the signatures of twothirds of the present subscribers, who now total approximately four hundred. In the interests of Taupo's continuing progress we commend to our readers the desirability of such a petition being organised with as little delay as possible.