COUNTRY TELEPHONES.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 August 1920, Page VII

COUNTRY TELEPHONES.

BETTER FACILITIES WANTED. Mr. Mitchell moved a reduction of £1 In the vote of £192,000 for the maintenance of telegraph and telephone lines, as a protest against the proposed increase of 5s per quarter mile in the charge for a telephone in the new scale. Mr. S. 0. Smith, in supporting the motion, complained that the charges were disproportionate a 9 between subscribers living near exchanges and those living ! at a distance.

Messrs. Hudson, Glenn, Edie, and R. W. Smith put in a word for backbloeks settlers, who, in many cases, erected their own lines or provided a large share of the material and wire. They were now to be penalised to a greater extent than ever. The Minister said he did not care for the system of arriving at the charges, as he did not think it was equitable, but it was the best that could be devised to carry over the period till the Department was able to inaugurate the "measure" system. Cases of hardship would receive consideration, but for the present it was absolutely necessary to impose these charges. Telephones must be made to pay their way. He agreed that telephones were a necessity in the backblooks, but the Department could not give them for nothing. Mr. Massey said that nothing would be left undone in the matter of providing telephones and other conveniences for the backbloeks people. * Mr. Hawken stressed the delay in the erection of country lines, where the men had already done their share of work, but the Department was dilatory.

The debate on Mr. Mitchell's amendment was continued till 10.65 p.m., when ■Mr. Mitchell indicated that he wished to withdraw it, but the Labor Party would not consent, and called for a division, which resulted in the amendment being lost by 39 votes to 18.

*■ The total post and telegraph vote was passed at 11.25.

OTHER VOTES. Public Buildings, etc., ( £9533) was the next vote taken, and it was carried after a brief discussion. The Native Department (£20,474) was passed without discussion, and the House rose at 11.31 p.m.

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