TARADALE TELEPHONES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 75, 10 March 1933, Page 4

TARADALE TELEPHONES

SUBSCRIBERS FALLINC OFF. PROBABLE REDUCTION OF HOURS. The likelihood of the hours of the Taradale telephone exchange being reduced from between 6 a.m. and midnight to between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. without a Sunday or holiday service, due to the lessening of the numbers of subscribers, was viewed with concern by members of the Taradale Town Board at the monthly meeting last evening. It was decided, on the motion of Mr C. H. Williams, to appoint a subcommittee to endeavour to increase the number of subscribers in the district. The position was placed before members of the board by Mr G. K. Drew, the local representative of the Post and Telegraph Department, who was specially invited to attend the meeting. “The hours of attendance of the local exchange are in danger of being reduced because of the reduced number of subscribers,’’ he explained. “In February, 1931, there were 135 subscribers, but after the earthquake the department lost 30, and gradually we have been losing one or two more as the halfyearly rentals become due. The number of subscribers is now down to 93.” With that number, he went on, the hours of attendance should be from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.. Actually there were under 100 paying .übseribers since September, 1932, with the result that the hours of attendance should be from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., instead of from 6 a.m. to raid-night, as was the case at present.

* ‘ Tho position now is that if we lose three more subscribers, the hours will certainly be reduced to 7 a.m. till 9 p.m. as well as the Sunday and holiday service being abolished. That is going to bo a backward step and one which should be avoided if possible. Therefore it is hoped to have the co-operation of subscribers of the Taradale district to maintain the present hours of atttendance.”

Mr Drew explained that there was in operation a system whereby subscribers could pay their rentals monthly instead of half-yearly. That system had enabled the Post and Telegraph Department to keep many subscribers who would otherwise have discontinued the telephone. There were seven or eight Taradale subscribers who paid monthly, and those considered the system to be most successful.

“We do not want our town to go buck,” said the chairman of the board, Mr J. Williamson, when the matter was being discussed by members. “It behoves us to do all we can to maintain the present number of subscribers and if possible to obtain additional ones.”