TELEPHONE CHARGES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18766, 20 January 1923, Page 13

TELEPHONE CHARGES

Business men in Dunedin are quite sympathetic with the Government in its desire to reduce the heavy annual loss in the working of the telephone system, but they are unanimous in their condemnation, of the methods proposed to bring about that reduction. I ho. Government has worked out its proposed system on a basis which would mot continue to exist if the scheme wove ever to come into force. Business morj interviewed yesterday were very definite on the point that in every instance where they could possibly reduce the number of their telephones by half they would do so. Thus a firm using four telephones would only use two under the proposed new scheme, one using two would only utilise one, and so on. The proposal to collect the accounts monthly is roundly condemned, ns it is asserted that the present practice of payment every six months—in advance —has always answered admirably. Moreover, if any saving were to be effected by the new system—which is very doubtful—it is considered that the extra cost of collecting the accounts every month would absorb a very large amount of the saying. One business man expressed the opinion that although he, personally, was prepared to pay a little extra, the proposed demands wore out of all reason. Roughly, the extra cost to companies would run into about 100 per cent., and for private users to about 50 per cent, 'He condemned the manner in which the telephone branch was conducted, and said that the Government could very well have attempted to reduce the cost of working the branch before rushing in with such an extortionate and illdigested scheme. Another business man was just as condemnatory of the proposal. Ho tersely remarked, however, that he did not consider there was any reason to worry, ns there was such an outburst of public opinion against the scheme that the department, would not dare go any further in the matter.