TELEPHONE RENTALS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 123, 26 May 1932, Page 3

TELEPHONE RENTALS.

REDUCTION CANNOT BE MADE. SMALL RURAL CONCESSIONS. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. In making reductions in the postal charges, it might be considered that some reduction should be made in telephone rentals, said the Postmaster-General, the Hon A. Hamilton, to-day, when announcing the reversion to penny postage. He had given this matter his careful attention, but was unable to make anv substantial reductions in this connection. He had, however, decided to make a small concession to certain rural and party-line subscribers. Many country subscribers, owing to their isolation, were to-day being charged a rental beyond their capacity to meet, said the Minister. He had decided for this present financial year to fix the rate for these subscribers at half the existing rate, with a minimum of £10. This concession would amount to approximately £5000 for the year. Regarding the telephone service generally, he would like to remind the public that New Zealand enjoyed the cheapest service in the English-speaking world. During recent years the benefits enjoyed by subscribers had been increased enormously, especially in the longdistance call service. The Minister concluded by asking the public to continue to make full use of this cheap and most efficient service, and thus enable it to continue to grow and play its useful part in the business and social life of the country.