Hackett Explains Policy for Country Exchanges

Northern Advocate, 7 January 1948, Page 4

Hackett Explains Policy for Country Exchanges

TELEPHONES

THE policy of the Government in respect to country telephone exchanges and the amalgamation of adjacent systems is- explained in a letter received by Mr A. J. Murdoch, M.P. for Marsden, from the Postmaster-General (Mr F. Hackett). The letter is in reply to representations made by Mr Murdoch on behalf of the Whakapara branch of the Federated Farmers, which is seeking the amalgamation of the Whakapara and Hikurangi telephone exchanges.

The request was refused, the Mini- f sier said, as ii was not in keeping ■ with the long-term policy of the department to amalgamate rural telephone exchanges because this would bring about long, multi-party lines to the parent exchange. It was the policy of iho department to install many small exchanges in rural areas and progressively to re- i place these with automatic exchanges j so that residents oi country districts I would have the same 24-hour service : as city and town subscribers. j ' AUTOMATIC SYSTEMS . The plan also provided for the instal- ! lation of automatic systems in all set- j tied communities where there was a | demand for telephone service. The annual rental would cover the ; cost of inter-calling and tolls would be j charged for at toll rates. The flat-rate rental system would ! be extended and the whole question : of charges and rentals gone into. ! The Minister said that with the rul- j

jing shortages of materials and labour, ! the new policy must be a long-term one and nothing would be done that would not coincide with the plan. Automatic machinery, poles and wire had to be obtained from overseas and the supply position did not permit an early start on the installation of the systems in rural areas. RATE of rentals Replying to the request for a continuous exchange service in Whakapara and Hikurangi pending the installation cf the automatic system, the Minister said that the hours worked in an exchange were governed by the number of subscribers and the rate of telephone rental paid. When an exchange reached 200 (Hikurangi has 102 and Whakapara 161). subscribers may petition for a continuous service and at least two third of the subscribers had to sign the petition. There was an increased charge involved of £2 for a business connection and £1 for residential. Some parly lines would be charged an extra £1 and others 10/- or less according to their grouping on the line.