SLOT TELEPHONES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8366, 28 February 1913, Page 10

SLOT TELEPHONES

ISLAND BAY REQUEST. A request for slot telephones at Island Bay was made to the Hon. R. Dithodes, Postmaster-General, by a deputation from the Island Bay Municipal Electors’ Association yesterday. Mr W. H. D. Bell, M.P.,, who introduced the deputation, said that island Bay was the most closely settled part of the suburbs, and was unique, lor its size, in not having a post office. I hey felt strongly the need for slot telephones, wnich were being provided in districts much less populous. Mr W. H. Coy declared that the bay was becoming a popular seaside resort, and was growing rapidly. The suburb being pre-eminently adapted for such a scheme its financial success was asMesers A. E. Odliu and E, J. Colley supported the requests. Mr Bell remarked that there was urgent necessity for providing facilities that would induce people te live out of the congested areas.. Unless such facilities were provided, neither workers —whose lives were uncomfortable in the congested areas, nor others, would be induced to live away from the centre. . , ~ ~ , „ The Minister, in reply, said that the same argument applied to those' districts having no telephones, also to tho country districts without telephones at all. He could not cease the erection of telephone lines m these country districts. He had found there were difficulties in the way of placing slot telephones connected with the bureau after hours. The work of construction was easing somewhat lately, and he had been able to put on more men fqr construction. He hoped before Tong to be able to give them a machine, and want of capital had prevented speedier construction. The turn of Island Bay would be among the early ones; and they would have one machine; he could' not promise them two. The Minister arranged to visit the district on Saturday afternoon.