TELEPHONES TO BACKBLOCKS.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 August 1920, Page 3

TELEPHONES TO BACKBLOCKS.

ACTION BY INGLEWOOD COUNTY. ASSISTANCE TO SETTLERS. » The disabilities that settlers In isolated districts'suffer through lack of telephone communication and the need for giving some assistance in this direction, was touched on at the meeting of the Intrlewnod County Council this week. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie, Minister of Lands, who was approached at Inglewood in regard to telephone matters, forwarded a reply from the Postmaster-General, stating that the dplay could not be avoided, as it was due entirely to the shortage of telephone materials'. Cr. Lyon thought settleYs should be given . the opportunity of forming .groups in ' outside districts connected with a bureau, at which they could pay someone to make the necessary connection. The Council, by guaranteeing any deficiency in the cost of constructing the line to the bureau, could assist settlers considerably. This was done in other counties, and besides assisting settlers who were isolated, it also assisted the Council insomuch that the use of the telephone saved the use of .the roads. Cr. Cameron said that he had been endeavoring to have the telephone installed in his district, but the Department replied that no material was available. He was unable to procure .telephones elsewhere, and asked the Department whether they would be prepared to take over the telephone if the settlers procured ihe material and erected the lines, but they declined to do this. Cr. Lyon said that settlers could rate themselves for the installation of telephones, but he did not think there should he any necessity for this. He moved that the county, where groups of ratepayers require telephone bureaus, guarantee the deficit of such bureaus to the Department. This was seconded by Cr. Cameron, and carried.