THE INCREASED TELEPHONE CHARGES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10407, 3 April 1897, Page 1

THE INCREASED TELEPHONE CHARGES.

[BY TELEGKAI'U.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] DuNiiDiN, Friday. Tiik question of increased lolopliono charges having been discussed by the committee of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, it was resolved, 'What the committee of the Chamber regret that the Government have soon lit to increase the charge for telephones from £5 to £7 por annum. Thoy regard this as a retrograde step, and opposed to the progressive policy under which, as a rule, expansion and lower charges go hand in hand. Assuming, as has been stated, that there has been a loss in the working of tho Department) for the past year, and assuming also that) tho greatest possible economy in administration has been exercised, tho comtnittoo are of opinion that the policy of the Department should be to encourage and facilitate greater expansion of the system, looking to this for the moans of equalising income And expenditure, rather than to an Increase in the charges, winch will certainly irritate the public, and probably lead to many smaller tradesmen discontinuing the U9o of tho telephone altogether. The oomniiltoe believe, moreover, they express tho general opinion of subscribers when they assort that, with apparently increasing expenses of administration, tho efficiency of the service has not increased, but has sensibly diminished ; and while expressing the hope that the Department can see its way to continue tho former charge, they earnestly desire to urjjo on the Department the necessity of improving the service by prompter attontiou to the calls of subscribers,