TELEPHONE CHARGES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 275, 14 August 1920, Page 8

TELEPHONE CHARGES

BACK COUNTRY SERVICES

THE SUBURBAN RATES

A discussion of the new telephone! charges was opened in the House yesterday afternoon by Air. Wright (Wellington Suburbs), wiio protested against tho increases in tho charges for suburban telephones. He pointed out that tho Department had not merely increased tho llat rate, but had increased by 50 per cent, the mileage charge, which was to be 15s. instead of 10s. per quarter milo. This charge did not seem to he justified. Tho increase would 101 l chiefly on suburban peopie, whoso telephones were not nearly so much used as city telephones. Mr. Cr. Mitchell (Wellington South) moved a reduction of the voto by XI ns an indication that the House did not approve of the now telephone chargea. He pointed to tho grievance of tho people living on Newtown and tho eastern suburbs, who had to pay mileage right to Thorndon, Although thero was an exchange in Newtown. The charges wero not levied on a fair basis, A similar complaint from Dunedin was voiced by Mr. T. K. Sidcy (Dunedin South), wlw said that the additional charge of ss. per quarter mile did not work equitably, since the percentage of increase advanced with the increase of distance.

Country members had much to say on the subject. They stated that farmers had to pay oppressively high charges for telephones, while big business firms in the city paid minimum ilat rates. Mr. Hudson (Motueka) complained that a country telephone had been held up for eighteen months bocauso the Department could not' supply poles itself, and would not allow sottlers to erect their own poles. Mr. Dickson (Chalmers) quoted tno case of a country district where the telephone rates had been raised 200 uer cent. Mr. Isitt (Cliristchurch South) protested that country people should not unload their burdens on the city. The farmers had the advan'.age over the city dwellers in a hundred ways already, and their telephones were much more expensive than city telephones. "Tho member for Chrisrchurch North is talking piffle, really," said. Mr. Glenn (Kangitikei). "Can ho realise what it means to tho settler in tho backblocks to bo thirty or fifty miles from medical aid and to have no telephone? Ho cannot, because he has never been there." Soveral other country members endorsed this view. „ Tho Postmaster-General (Mr. Coates) told tho House that ho did not care toi tho principle behind the new rates at all. •It was not a sound princinle. But ie had .fo arrange the finances of the telephone branch until he could introduce the call system, subscribers paying a flat rate in zones, and then being charged for calls above a certain free limit. Tho telephones must not bo run at a loss. Tho telephones and telegraphs iust about paid their way at present, but ho had now to meet largoly-increascd expenditure on salaries and materials. He was compelled 110 increase his Tovenue. He agreed that telephones were a necessity in tho country districts, but lie could not provide thoso telephones without} money, and lie had to recognise that the cost of maintenance was very muck higher in the country than in tho town. Country penplo wero charged only the actual cost of materials and labour. Tho Minister added that he was prepared to reconsider the drffails of the new scale of charges— but he must have the money.

Tlio Prime Minister, speaking after several members had championed tlio cinisc of the baokblflcks nettlers. said that I jhe Postmaster-General was Hip son of n backblock' settler, and could ho trusted to see that justice was done to tlio men who had pone in*) tho wilderness He could endorse what Mr. Coates had aiid. and could assure the House* that nothing 1 would be left undone that would benefit the country as far as tho hnckhlock telephones were concerned. Tho Government would try to improve tho position. The system' in operation in New Zealand was decidedly out of date and he honed if, Tvould* not; he necessary to wait two or three years for the npipn<ln>p-p.t of the system, liurin Ibp monnfdnio tho revenue must bo maintained. The House discussed telephone rates until 11 p.m., nenrlv all the country members having something" tn say in sunport o! the claims of the fanners to' improved telephone communication. They pointed out +hat tho telephone often meant the difference between life and death in the country districts, and argued Hint country telephones were more imnortnnt than oih* telephones.

Dr. Newman (Wellington East) regretted the extv.i burden that was beinp; placed on the suburban telephone subscribers. These additional direct e'harges were felt verv severely by salaried penpie. who lmd no means of "passing it on." The Government was going to have a big surplus anyway, and need not swell it with extra telenhone charges.

The Postmaster-General, replying after nearly three hours' debate, referred to the shortage and high cost of materials. The nnlicy of the Government was to put a telephone into every homestead jn the country districts, imd this policy was backed loyally by the staff, which had tried resolutely to overcome difficulties. He was prepared to try io tre.iieach question on its merits. He could assure members that he was doing his best to overcome difficulties.

Mr. Mitchell asked at 11 p.m. for leave to withdraw his amendment. The Labour membors objected, and called for a division, which, resulted in the amendment being defeated b.v 39 votes to 18.

REQUESTS FROM EASTERN SUBURBS Representatives of the Eastern Suburb. 1 ) League, which includes Hataitai, Kilbirnie, Lyall Bay, Melrose, Koseneath, Seatoun, and Uirauiar, interviewed the Minister of Public AVorks yesterday to ask for the revocation of the Order-in-Couu-cil under which specially low fares aro charged workers travelling before 7.30 a.m. The deputation asked that the concussion should be extended until B.M or 9 a.m., in older that all classes of workers might benefit. The people who started work at 9 a.m. had just as much claim to consideration, and just as much need of it, as tho people who started at 8 a.m. Mr. A. C. Blako, president of tho league, said that at present the City Council was carrying certain classes ot workers at less than cost, with tho result that othor users ot the trams had to pay more thau their share. Yet many of the workers who travelled after 8 a.m. earned less than the people who travelled earlier. Mr. Blako quoted the case of a school teacher who had to Is. 4d. a day for tram fares. The position was that the council could not adjust the fares oh •» just basis until tho Order-in-CounSil had been revoked.

The Minister promised to consider the matter when the request of tho council for the revocation of the Order-in-C'ouncil reached him.

• The deputation asked also for the reconsideration of tho proposed increases in telephone charges. Mr. T. H. Donovan, who presented the views of the league on this point, said that the increases wero going to bear very heavily indeed on subscribers in the eastern suburbs, and would accentuate tho injustice caused by tho charging of mileage from Thorndon, at the other end of the city. Tho league asked (1) Hint all charges should be taken as radiating from Kilbirnio Post Ofiico; (2) that the regulations should bo amended ro as to have each district charged from the nearest 'exchange; (3) tliot the c'haige for labour and material in installation beyond tho four-milo limit should be placed on tho general fund and not on the individual eubscribor.

Tlic Minister, in reply, said that Hie increases in the telephone roles were a temporary expedient, and were not a part of tho Government's permanent policy. The syslem (if charging on the number of calls was to be inaugurated when,the necessary material hud been obtained, and it would give great relief to suburban subscribers, since n larger shnre of Hie burden would lie placed on the business telephones in the city. Hut in Hie meantime, the Department had to have revenue. He promised to ask the Depn.itmont to go into Hie <|tie?lion of assessing charges from a more central point than Tliormlon and to consider "the other points raised by the deputation.