COUNTRY TELEPHONES.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 121, 1 June 1901, Page 3

COUNTRY TELEPHONES.

At the meeting last night of members of the Chamber of Commerce, the question of country telephones came up, and the following letter, to come before the Chamber later on, was read, being from the Superintendent of Electric Lines : “ I am directed to refer to your letter of the 27th March last, asking, on behalf of your Chamber that the Motu and Hangaroa districts be connected by telephone. As there is already a telephone office at Hangaroa, it is assumed that what is really required is a telephone wire between Te Karaka and Motu. This work,.it is regretted, cannot be approved meantime, as the estimated cost would be no less than 121,500, the revenue only 123 a year, and the annual deficiency .£145.” Mr Whim-ay pointed out that while the Government was making concessions in railway freights and in other directions that did not serve such a district as our own, they could see the wisdom of granting telephonic communication to isolated country districts. He thought that if the money spent on one of the Ducal arches were applied to this purpose it would in every way be a more fitting and a lasting testimonial. Mr Shelton and tho other members said the estimates put down did not seem correct, and it was resolved to ask how the Department arrived at the estimate of the cost of the line, and the revenue likely to be derived from it.