Telephone Service for Waimate.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 171, 27 February 1902, Page 3

Telephone Service for Waimate.

At yesterday's meeting of the County "Council a letter was received from the Bon "W. J. Steward, re the proposed telephone service between Waimate and Timaru and Oamani. The installation of the service would cost £2OOO, and could iu,t bo put up unless twenty-live subscribers at £5 a year were enrolled at Waimate.

The chairman stated thai the chief postmaster at Timaru'had said, that a bureau at V/nimate with communication to Timaru and Oamaru would bo established if fifteen subscribers were enrolled in Waimate. 'Businesses witliiu half a mile and private houses within one mile would i-M enrolled. Mr Walker said the matter was one for the Borough Council more than the cuuniy. it was not asked for by Waimate "residents. A telephone was a luxury. Mr ithodes disagreed with this. He said that the convenience would be very great. He did not sea whore the luxury came in. Fairhe had a bureau, and they had installations almost everywhere in South Canterbury except Waimate. The Mackenzie County Council, to get the service to Fairlie, had taken three telephones—one for the chairman, the clerk, and the engineer. They should protest agaiust the large number of subscriber's required in Waimate .as against eight in Fairlie.

Mr Studholme said that it 'was very important to have telopuout: communication. On many occasions telegrams or lffu«r« wore unsuitable and telephone.* "\vere most sttitable. Tu« Council should work with the Borough Council lb get thm cuinafuuicatioii.

Mr 'Rhodes moyeti that tho chairman sh)U.d w,ut on tin; Borough Council ;<c Lhoir next meeting to nak that body to cooperate with ihi.-> Council in urging upon tho Government to establish 'tolephonic ooininu.tication between Ucimai'U and r.ma.u and intenuedhito sttuiond, iaclnding Waitnate. Mr Walker opposed the motion as hot being tne Couuen'o buciness at all. A teiepnone service would benefit private poi-p.e", u'nl tLey alone saoutti move in the mutti'r

Mr Hardia also ' oppoaqd motion.

Mr Lyall Bai'd such a service would be oi good to the rutep'ayerd as a whole.

The motion, bia being put, was carried.