INDIGNATION IN LYTTELTON.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14349, 8 May 1912, Page 10

INDIGNATION IN LYTTELTON.

It has tor many years been, a grievance with Lyttelton business men that tho charges for telephonic communication between tho port and 'tho city liavo been exorbitant and that tho service itself is unsatisfactory in tho oxtreme! The "last straw" canio yesterday in tho form of a circular from tho officer-in-chargo at Christchurch slating that " under tho new regulations governing charges,for.telephono connections ": tho Head Offico at Wellington had issued instructions that tho " subscriptions for all telephones wero to bo increased by £1 a year'for each milo over threo miles." In every caso tho circular was accompanied by an account "to adjust the subscription." A ""Press" reporter was shown tho circular and account by a number of indiguant business people. The increaso in tho case of tho Lyttelton pcoplo amounts to no less than £1 Cβ per annum. One account was charged up at a yearly increase of £-1 10s. Tho unsatisfactory character of tho Lyttelton telephone servico was brought under tho notico of the Post-master-General (tho Hou H. G- Ell) a> little- moro.than a fortnight ago. At tho present tinio there aro about a dozen subscribers who have wires direct to tho Cbrtstchurcli exchange, whoso aunual rental hitherto has bean, from £21 to £23. Then there aro 120 .subscribers connected with tho Lyttelton bureau, paying an annual,subscription of £5, and at tho rate of threepence for threo niinntes (minimum) for each communication. Those are limited to tho Lyttelton offico hours 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., so that they can uso their telephones for only 12 hours out of tho 24. Tho deputation which waited on the Postmaster-General pointed out tho urgent necessity for an immediate improvement, in the telephono servico at Lyttoltbn and for 'tho installation of a wharf system, whereby instruments could bo put on board steamers whilo in' port. Tho Minister promised to Jook into tho matter and sont tho engineer to Lyttelton to report upon-tho wholo question. And now, at tho very time when tho long-suffering but patient business people of Lyttelton, aro looking for some improvement in tho service an-1 hoping for somo reduction ia the exorbitant charges, they are, without any previous warning, confronted with a. demand for an increase of £4 10s per annum in tho annual subscript tion for direct wires to Christchurch.. !■ One business man who has been a subscriber for at least twenty years, during which period he has paid £460 for the use of his tekphono spoko ! in terms of strong indignation, and ho merely expressed tho sentiments of a number of other men who wero soen by tho reporter, in describing tho increase in rates as iniquitous. Sumner people are evidently of tho same mind. for while- tho reporter was in one offico in Lyttelton a business man. in tho seaside borough rang up his friend and expressed himself as very indignant fat tho imposition of tho increaso in his telephone subscription. Ho suggested that a strong deputation of thosei interested in long-distanco telephones should wait on the Postmaster-General when he arrived in Christchurch this week, and enter a strong protest.