NEW TELEPHONE LINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18678, 7 April 1924, Page 11

NEW TELEPHONE LINE.

y. ■' . - A j< "V ' . AUCKLAND TO KAITAI A. :V ; vi : '.U REDUCTION IN THE "MILEAGE :./- ' ' 1 IMPROVED • CONNECTIONS. GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS. . A* statement' was made' by the Post-master-General, the ' Hon. J. G. ' Coates, on : . Saturday, regarding the intention of the department to establish a new telephonic • route ' from Auckland to Kaitaia, with the object of improving the telephone service to North Auckland subscribers and reducing the : length of the toll call to Auckland. . Speaking at the opening of the Waimmi 11 Post Office, Mr. Coates said the existing K system was somewhat out-of-date : owing to • the fact" that in the old days the line , from Auckland was carried north through the coastal districts, link- j ing up bays arid settlements on the coast and consisting in many instances of under-water cable. This involved a great length of line and an unsatisfactory connection on account of water resistance. The new line, said Mr. Coates, .would be taken through the centre of the peninsula in a more or less direct line to Kaitafa,: the various towns and settlements being brought into the system by connecting lines, which in the majority of instances, were already in existence. The scheme would, involve a considerable expenditure. The proposed new line, the Minister continued, would effect a saving of nearly 50 miles in the telephone distance between. Kaitaia and Auckland and considerable savings would be experienced in other districts. - The cost of a trunk call to Auckland and between various North. Auckland towns would be correspondingly reduced, thus effecting substantial savings to subscribers. , It was proposed to divide the new line into three sections. ' The first would be from Kaitaia. to Kaikohe over the Mangamuka, reducing the existing line by 36 miles. The next section would Ibe from Kaikohe to Kirikopuni, reducing the distance from Kaipara to Kaikohe and Kaitaia by about 40 miles. The third section' would mean the strengthening of .the existing line from Kirikopuni to Tebekeroa, the construction of a new line from Tahekeroa to Birkenhead, and the laying of a cable from Birkenhead to Ponsonby, reducing the distance from' Auckland to . Kaipara by about 20 miles. . . : - Subsequently, - Mr. , Coates .. stated that the proposals would bo embodied m the Government's programme to be undertaken this year and would come before Parliament at the next session.