THE TELEPHONE HABIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 147687, 5 September 1911, Page 8

THE TELEPHONE HABIT.

V CHEAPER SERVICE PROMISED. , [by TELEGRAPH.' correspondent.] Wellington, Monday. • .There waa a great demand growing up, said the Postmaster-General (Sir Joseph Ward), at'the; letter-carriers' social on Saturday night, for urban and suburban > telephones. The telephone habit had a , great way of extending itself toothers. It was a fact, in spite cf what might be thought to the contrary, that in the Old Country it was the exception to find telephones in. private houses outside the towns. Nine out of every 10 private houses in the cities' also had not the telephone. In this country the habit was growing, and it was intended by the Government that the system should be brought right up to date in every respect. The chief electrician, continued Sir Joseph Ward, had been '."round the worldsome time ago to ascertain the best system in vogue, and upon the receipt of his report the matter would be gone into. ' The system would be selected that would - give the cheapest and most effective service. He was sanguine that before very long they would be able to reduce the rates for long distance telephoning. - One could not.help recognising the-importance of' people who lived from 10 to 100 miles distant from the chief centres of activity being able to get into touch with these places •by telephone. • He was positive in the statement that before long the cost of these long distance communications would ' be reduced. Additional facilities also would be given for private lines."