CORRESPONDENCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10961, 2 May 1907, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE TELEPHONE SYSI'EM. (To the Editor of the Herald.) Sir, — There is sonic saiisiaetioii in reading your leadiug article ot 29th ult., supporting the rigiatul demands of the puonc, with regard to the telephone system, auu'l trust others 'will -keep 'the mattei* moving till the Government see their way to deal more reasonably with subscribers. It has been private enterprise that has brought the country districts and backblocks m such close touch with our town,' and threaded the country with a network of wires; and still the Government give no reduction to the subscribers. The business man iu town and the man in the country, with 5 or 20 miles of private line, pays tlte same subscription. Then the business man, who makes 100 calls a day, pays tue &auie as the country man who calls a dozen times. The subscriber who geis his connections and machine at the end of tlie Government mile and quarter, pays his £5 lOs, and tue man who erects "two nines ot .private line at tne cost of about £12, pays the same; and all pay the extortionate demand of £1 for entrance fee. The rates are not reasonable. Another veiy present trouble is' the Government houis 'for closing country bur-, eaux, at 5 p.m. The Government attendance is paid for to that hour, but private enterpise goes an hour more, ana pays their country bureau, attendant for 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. to work their private lines. This places the Government in a position that tney cannot refuse, to work the Government lines between country bureaux and the -excharige. But this is manifestly unfair as the Government do not pay lor that extra hour of attendance to country bureaux, and private lines tire liable to be, crushed out during that hour by the many calls from the Government exchange. Another reason that subscribers do not get fair play with country bureaux is tuat station und country people are. not at home during the day, and from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. is not enough time to supply all subscribers on a. single hne. Trusting these remarks will help matters to a more successful issue. — .Yours, etc.. j A PRIVATE SUBSCRIBER.