COUNTRY TELEPHONES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10231, 8 May 1911, Page 5

COUNTRY TELEPHONES.

QUESTION OF EXPENSE.

At the meeting of the Masterton branch of the Farmers' Union on Saturday, Mr H. Morrison moved that the question of telephones be made a. remit to the Provincial Conference. He thought the Government should subsidise the telephones in, the backblocks. He had ascertained that it would cost £4O to put on a telephone to a certain backblock property. The Government had voted a small subsidy to telephones, but this was insufficient. They should be given telephone facilities similar to those given in the United States. The remit was agreed to. Mr J. O. McKillop moved, as an additional remit, that the Government be asked to reduce the annual charge for the telephone where a wire was >used by more than one person. He pointed out that whereas, backblocks settlers had to* pay £SO for the connection, they had also to pay £5 per year for the maintenance of the service. This charge, was, in his opinion, altogether, too high. Mr Morrison drew attention to the i charge which was also made for J telephone attendants. This, was too j severe on back-blocks settlers, and j should be subsidised by the Governj anent. ) It was decided that these two matj tors be added to the agenda paper I for the Provincial Conference.