THE PARISH PUMP.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 192, 15 August 1925, Page 10

THE PARISH PUMP.

HARD POLITICAL PULLING. SCRAMBLE FOB LARGESSE. A POSTAL OMELETTE. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON Friday. The handle of the parish pump was worked vigorously by many members this evening when the Post and Telegraph Department vote was being discussed in Committee of Supply. Some eulogistic references were made to the services of post and telegraph employees generally, for which the Hon. J. G. Coates expressed thanks and great gladness, as praise for public servants was such a rarity.

The matter of delay in the supply of telephones to the public of Auckland drew a complaint from Mr. J. A. Lee (Auckland East), and various members made requests for various improved facilities until it appeared as if every city, town, and hamlet of New Zealand s wanted something more than it waa It would be 12 months before Christchurch could get automatics. Regarding slot automatic telephones, they sometimes failed to give entire satisfaction, but the truth was they often went wrong through rough handling. For some years past we had been rather conservative in regard to public slot telephones, but now the Department is extending that branch of the service. "I hope this extension will not lead to any gross misuse of our language," said Mr. Coates, who went on to teil the House, in his ingenuous way, eomething which sounded rather like a Departmental secret. Pilot or Decoy Duck? "The slot telephones do not actually pay," he said, answering a question put by Mr. Sullivan (Avon). "We can call the slot telephone a pilot. Really, you see, the people use the slot telephone, and finally they get sick of it, hut by this time they can't do without the telephone, so they say, T'll get one of my own.'" This naive explanation caused the House considerable amusement. Mr. Coates reminded members that installations of telephones depended upon the amount of money available. They must remember that New Zealand waa now spending a million a year in extending telephone cervices. Mr. McCombs: Should extension not be controlled by the business offering? Mr. Coates said the work of doing away with worn-out switchboards and installing automatics was not the work of a moment. The programme provided for an expenditure of a million a year, the telephonic side alone running into £900,000. It was a huge expenditure for a small country like this. Some people who applied for telephones thought they should get them at once. There should be no waiting list of any size in Auckland now. Those on /he list could at least look forward to get telephones quite quickly, and they should have no difficulty in Auckland during the next four or five years. The same' would "apply to Christchurch and Wellington. When the switch over to automatic took place the Department would meet any case of hardship imposed by the absence of a telephone as well as they could. It would take a million and a half to meet immediate demands, but the steady expenditure of a million yearly would soon overtake demands, and then keep pace with requirements. The telephone was a good business service, which paid interest and sinking fund on capital. Grey Lynn's Demands. Referring to the request for a new post offree, at Grey Lynn, the Minister said the Department would meet reasonable requirements, but it was unfortunate that in the past the Department thought Grey Lynn's demands were more more than reasonable. Mr. Bar tram: You promised an up-to-date post office. Mr. Coates: I am not certain I said that. Mr. Bartram: Oh, yes you did. Mr. Coates: Well, I'm not sure; it should not be so, but the question is when to start it. The Department has been asked to select a site. Post Offices and Slot Telephones.

Mr. J. A. Lee had a request for improvement and bringing forward to the street level the Symonds Street post office, hurrying forward with his request, he declared, so it would not be lost in the scramble which was going - to take place among members for postal facilities for their constituents. Mr. Parry said he wanted to join in. the scramble, and, while condemning the Karangahape Road' office as a pigeon box, with characteristic modesty he refrained from asking for a gorgeous new building. He merely mentioned that business people in Karangahape Road were gravely dissatisfied, and asked that "something be done." Manukau's Long List. Mr. Jordan followed with a request for slot telephones in Manukau, which, he declared, were badly needed at Greenwood's Corner, Royal Oak, Mangere, Penrose, Kohimarama, 6nehunga North, and Tawa Road. He complained of confusion caused by Tawa Road being in Ellerslie postal district while it was in Onehunga borough. He asked for an extension, of the hours of attendance at the Onehunga office, and improvements at Panmure. He also emphasised the unfortunate difficulties under which Kohimarama residents laboured, the nearest money order office being two miles away, and parcels had to be sent there. Auckland was growing and spreading Tapidly, and improved facilities were required all round. Mr. Jordan rounded off his. "growl" by congratulating the Minister on the installation of automatic* in Auckland and its successful service, and urging that the people be afforded an opportunity to more fully use it. > •'''• Country Districts. A plea for attention to country districts was made, by Mr. Langstone (Waimarino), who commented on the heavy catalogue of requests'for more -postal facilities in largely populated districts, "where they have not far to walk anyhow." The member for Wai- : marino-then added quite a dozen requests to.the already long list. Mr. Coates assured Mr. Jordan that he would have inquiries made at once Regarding the request for six slot telev phones at,the places,mentioned, and see if they • could be complied with. Regarding Karangahape Road, the Department was of the opinion that the accommodation was sufficient for the business. Remodelling or reconstruction in Symonds Street and other post offices would be considered in rotation in the order of applications and urgency.

Appeal Board Attacked. Mr. P. Fraser considered it an extraordinary thing that the Post and Telegraph Appeal Board, presided over by Mr. Cutten, S.M., heard 485 appeals and allowed only one. It heard 78 appeals against reclassification and allowed not even one. Did the board work on an infallible system and turn down the lot? He questioned whether there had been a' record like that. The board was simply a departmental machine, and the results gave just cause for discontent. Let them appoint another board, and, if that board preserved this miraculous record then perhaps nothing more need be done.