TELEPHONES IN COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 January 1922, Page 5

TELEPHONES IN COUNTRY.

WHO SHOULD PROVIDE THEM? THE STATE OR LOCAL BODIES. NEW PROPOSALS MADE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. In the House to-day the Hon. J. G. Coates moved the second reading of the Country Telephone Lines Bill, which empowered local authorities to borrow money to erect telephone lines. Mr. G. Witty (Riecarton) said the Bill was merely an attempt to push on to local bodies the responsibility for providing telephones. Mr. H. E. Holland (Leader of the Labor Party) said the principle of the Bill was altogether wrong. Telephones and telegraphs alike should be the function of the State and not of local bodies. The effect would be to increase the cost of telephones to many people. Mr. R. McCallum (Wairau) objected to country people being compelled to find their own telephones. Mr. S. G. Smith (Taranaki) said, the next thing the Government would do would be to ask local bodies to provide schools in the backblocks. He hoped the Bill would be withdrawn.

Sir George Hunter (Waipawa) said the Minister would be well advised if he withdrew the Bill this session. It was simply going to be an additional burden on local bodies. The Minister, replying, said that if the Government could spend £1,000,000 a year it could not catch up with the demand for telephones. Last year £450,000 was spent and this year a similar amount might be spent, but the department could not do more to satisfy the wants of the people in this respect. He knew the trials of backblocks settlers and the extension of the telephone in the country was part of the Government’s policy, but money could not be found at present to do all that was needed. Everything possible was being done to give country people telephone facilities. He had to consider what return was coming from telephone installations, and in doing so the first lines erected must be those wmen produced the largest return. The Bill gave scattered settlers an opportunity to get telephone communication through local bodies, as had been requested for years by farmers’ representations. The Minister* regretted he could not consider the suggestion that the Gov-, eminent should purchase private telephone systems. The money could be used to better advantage in developing telephone communication in other directions. No district that did not take advantage of the provisuta of the Bill would be penalised. The Bill was read a second time. in committee no amendments were made.