POSTMASTER-GENERAL.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14980, 9 June 1914, Page 3

POSTMASTER-GENERAL.

VARIOUS DEPUTATIONS.

Tho Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes, Post-master-General and Minister of Public Health, tvas in attendance at the Provincial Council Chambers yesterday for the purpose of receiving deputations on matters affecting the departments uader his control. TELEGRAPH OFFICE FOR RICCARTON. Mr G. Witty,. M.P., introduced a deputation from - Riccarton, consisting of -Mr J. Brown, tho 31ayor of the borough, who made a request for the establishment of a public tdegraph office at Lower Ricrtirton. Mr Witty said that tho idea was to have the bureau in the Town Hall which is being built. Mr Rhodes asked if the Borough Council would agree to provide the services of a telephonist. Mr Krown said that he thought that could be arrang-M. Mr Rhodes said that the difficulty on a previous occasion "was in connexion with a telephonist Mr Brown said that tho idea "svas that tho bureau would be in the hall (where tho municipal offices would be situated), and that one of the Council's staff would act as telephonist Tho building would be completed about the end of July. Mr Rhodes said that if a telephonist was supplied, he hoped to overcome the difficulty previously experienced. He asked Mr Brown to write him a letter, after he (Mr Brown) had ascertained nhafc ths Council was prepared to do, and be (the Minister) would try to arrange tho matter. TELEPHONE MATTERS. Mr Witty, M.P., introduced a deputation from the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, consisting of Messrs E. G. Stavolcy (president), W. DeveuxshMeares. and F. M. Warren. Mr Staveley quoted tho resolutions arrived at by the Chamber of Commerce at a recent meeting, asking that the Governnient should advertise on a fixed day in each week in the local newspapers the names of new subscribers to the telephone system, and also such other alterations as had been made durins tho provious week, and that in future issues of the telephone directory a certain amount of spaco be loft at the end of each letter of the alphabet, so that tho names of new subscribers could be added. Mr Meares said that tho suggestions, if given effect to, would ho of great value. Mr Rhodes', in reply, said that the present was tho first occasion upon which any complaint of the kind had been made. There was a place in the directory to which subscribers could attach the sheets issued quarterly giving the list of new subscribers, and of alterations. If people got into the way of clipping out the advertisement from the newspapers it would answer the same purpose, but sometimes people throw *: v e newspaper away.Mr Witty said that business men did not do so. Mr Rhodes said that business men, having clerks to do tho work, might get into the way. He would consider the matter, and would communicate his decision to the Chamber of Commerce. In further remarks, tho Minister pointed out that the adoption of the suggestions made would involve a lot ■of advertising, because besides the pap?rs in the big cities there were the small count-T-y papers, where there were snfall exchanges. Mr Meares suggested that the regulation to be made if the proposals were given effect to, should provide that the wepkly announcement of additional subscribers and alterations should be made only in respect to exchanges of over a certain number of subscribers. Mr J. McCombs, M.P., waited on the Minister in connexion with telephones in the Lyttelton electorate, and asked that arrangements be made whereby the public could commun''cate from Lvttelton, Heathcote, or Surnner, with Christchurch, for threepence. The Minister said that he was having a comprehensive report 'on the subject prepared, and Mr M<-Combs wou'd b*» communicated with after the receipt of the report.