“THICK AS BEES”

Northern Advocate, 31 October 1936, Page 5

“THICK AS BEES”

NORTHLAND PHONE EXCHANGES

“Banks, railways and commercial, houses must be reached by ’phone in rural districts,” Mr H. F. Guy stated at the quarterly meeting of the North Auckland Associated Chambers of Commerce at Kaikohe on Thursday, when the question of amalgamation of Northland telephone exchanges in certain areas was being discussed. “The telephone service is* national concern, and it would be a fair thing to institute a country district toll rate. Any loss would be offset by increased subscribers. I think that the Government is getting a fair charge through ordinary rentals without tolls at all. Some time ago it offered to put in an automatic exchange in this district.”

Mr G. E. S. Brodie: “At an increased rate.”

< Mr Guy: “Yes that is correct. The increase was £1- The scheme covered Ohaeawai, Kaikohe and Okaihau..”

Mr H. Ingram: “The Government appears to take the attitude that the townspeople should take the initiative alone in the matter. The country people should get busy in the 'matter also.”

Mr Guy: “Yes, that is the point. The country people let us down by not supporting us.”

“Telephone exchanges are thick as bees in the Mangonui county” said Mr H. W. Crawford. “When one is getting exchanges within six miles of each other it must be an expensive business maintaining these. There are 70 or 80 north of Maungaturoto. We should only have four or- five in the whole of North Auckland.”

He suggested that a resolution be tabled asking the Government to effect a substantial reduction in the number of exchanges in Northland with the ultimate object of having

them reduced to about five exchanges. “Fancy being in Awanui and having to ring up Kaitaia, and then having to pay a toll, 1 ” he remarked. “The same thing applies to Kaikohe and Ohaeawai.”

Mr Ingram supported Mr Crawford and the resolution was carried. Before the discussion opened, Mr W. Berry, the secretary, quoted the communications which had been received from the Postmaster-General. Technical difficulties had been cited, and, in the past, the Postmaster-Gen-eral stated, it was found impracticable to agree to the proposal without increasing rentals to a figure unacceptable to subscribers. “After careful consideration I regret that it is not possible to put into effect the scheme proposed by your organisation,” concludes the PostmasterGeneral.