TELEPHONE PROGRESS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 89, 12 October 1937, Page 11

TELEPHONE PROGRESS

. INCREASING SOCIAL USE ; "The Dominion's telephone system continues to reflect the expansion in business throughout the country,'' stated the Postmaster-General (the JJori. F. Jones) today. "There has been a gain in the first five months of the current financial year of 3902 subscribers, after making allowance for relinquishments. This has brought the total to 14J2,042, • which, represents. an advance of 0394 connections compared iyith, ilie corresponding' date -fjf year, and an improvement,of 20,981 on the diminished list of subscribers in July, 1933, when the telephone lists reflected —in the reverse direction—the economic conditions then prevailing. "The social or domestic use of the telephone is one of the most marked features in this expanding business. It is taken for granted that every commercial enterprise must be equipped with the telephone, and it is also customary to provide additional lines as a business expands. "Residential telephones are now regarded as equally essential, judging by the development of this side of the business,' for in the upward movement from the depression point, the additional connections made to residences total over. 15,000, which is more than three times the increase in the number of new business connections. In total strength also the residential 'telephones are more numerous. Taking the relative position of the two classes oi subscriber, the business subscriber accounts for 30 per .cent, and the residential Subscriber. for 70 per cent, of the total number of telephones connected to the exchanges of the Dominion."