MASTERTON-TE WHARAU TELEPHONE SERVICE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9191, 14 September 1908, Page 4

MASTERTON-TE WHARAU TELEPHONE SERVICE.

The settlers at Te Wharau complained to the Chamber of Commerce that they wero greatly dissatisfied with their telephone service to Masterton. Cominunciation coul 1 only be had by way of Carterton, and annoying delays occurred in getting "switched on" to Masterton. One leading settler wrote stating that delays of over an hour even were experienced on occasion?, and nothing but a direct route appeared to be the solution of the question. The Chamber of Commerce placed the3e facts before the officials in Wellington, and the latter state in reply that it would cost £2BO to instal a direct service, that an average of five communications only per day to Masterton did n.jt wairant this outlay, and that finally no "great" delay occurred in the con necting-up of Te Wharau and Masterton. On the latter point it might be asked what is the definition of a "great" d<May? The statement of a reliable settler is that one hour delays occurred, but perhaps on the Wellington exchange, where headquarters brooks few delays, no doubt, an hour-delay may be common! We hardly think so, though.