THE TELEPHONE

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 67, 16 September 1922, Page 11

THE TELEPHONE

'ANOMALIES IN CHARGES

Some important statements concerning the telephone system with more or less vague reference to the' proposed revision of ,the scale of charges was made by the Postmaster-General in the House last night during the course of his reply to a general discussion on the operations of the Department under his control

Reference had been ma<3e, he said, to the installation of the automatic systems, and in some quarters a doubt had been raised as to the success of the automatic telephones. He could state aitively that the automatic telephones I. been completely satisfactory. The development ,of the telephone system generally had' been urged by some members. He could assure the House that everything possible was being done in that connection. Last'year the sum of £600,000 had been spent on th« telephone system. . The vote in that direction had been.increasing each yeat. The development in the oities must keep pace as far as possible with the demands, and it would be impracticable to cease work m the' cities and concentrate on the country districts. It was not intended to make any reduction in- the telephone' charges, bnt it would be necessary to readjust the charges and remove some of the anomalies .that were existing today. The charges should be commensurate with the use and with the facilities provided. The member for Wellinsr. ton Suburbs (Mr. Wright) had dravm attention to the high charges for th« telephone in. the Newtown, Island Bay, Lyall Bay, and Seatoun districts. The charge was in the vicinity of £23 per year, while the people in the city paid only £7 10s. The zone system was intended ilo do away with that anomaly. They wanted to encourage the people to so and live further out from the cities There were also anomalies so far as toll charges were concerned, and they must ibe removed. At-present there -was a certain charge up to 20 miles, but if a subscriber went an inch or two lover the 20 miles he was, charged 1 up to 40 miles. That must be an anomaly that must be overcome if the people were to get ■ the full benefit of the service. Certain proposals had. been considered, and when the opportunity arrived the -.revised 1 schedule would be' placed before Cabinet. .' A member: "This, session-?"

The Postmaster-General: "It is not likely. I am afraid, that Cabinet will be too busy." He would like to inform the House that the t whole-question of postal'charges was under consideration, and ;he wanted to make one job of it. In several directions a more equitable system was needed. There would be no increase in postal charges. The aim of the Government was to reduce the cost of the service to the people. l