POST AND TELEGRAPH

Southland Times, Issue 17025, 25 April 1912, Page 7

POST AND TELEGRAPH

STATEMENT BY THE HEW MHTISTEB, PROGRESSIVE MEASURE OUTLINED. (Per United Press Association). WELLINGTON. April 21. Speaking at the opening of the new Post Office at Porlrua to-day, the Hon. H. G. Ell. Postmaster-General. gave Borne interesting information with regard to the development of the telephone services throughout the Dominion. He traced the history of the service from the year ISSI. when telephones first began to be utilised, and instanced the excellent results that attended the Electric Telegraph Amending Act, ISSO. giving authority to construct, establish and maintain electric communication by telephone. The first exchange was opened at Christchurch in 1881, with twenty-nine subscribers. Auckland and Wellington followed, then Dunedin. The success of the exchanges was rapidly assured and various reductions in rates took place, from £l2 per annum in 1883 to £5 per annum in 1891, and for party lines” (inaugurated in 1912) £3 10s per year, for two subscribers on a line not exceeding a mile in length. "The growth In the number of telephone exchange subscribers has been very great,” said the Minister. "For the year ended March 31st. 1882. the number and for 1883 the- number was 379. Since then the number has steadily increased, and at the end of 1911 had reached 28,093 subscribers.” As to the future, Bald Mr Ell. my policy will be first to consider the needs of backblock settlers and to rush on telephone lines as rapidly as funds permit. Although the development of telephones and telephone exchanges has been extraordinarily rapid during the last few years it is the case that Inventive geniuses in America and elsewhere have devoted more attention to the improvement of exchanges In large centres than to any method by Which remote settlers could be brought more readily into communication with the rest of the world. So far as the •ost is concerned, we are very much in the position that we were many years ago, but the efforts of my principal officers are being directed to means whereby the cost of lines in remote districts can be reduced without sacrificing efficiency. To further enable telephones to be within the reach of all, I am pushing forward the Installation of slot machines. The present machine was invented by an officer of the department, and is said to be the best In the world. Unfortunately our manufacturing capacity Is at present too low to enable us to turn out these machines at a rapid rate. Long distance telephone lines throughout the country are being rapidly extended. At present a special copper wire is under course of construction between .Wellington and Auckland, which, besides being used for telegraph purposes In the day time, should allow excellent speech to be obtained over the 400 miles which separate Wellington from Auckland. Attention is being given to the Introduction of special telegraph Instruments for use on congested lines. These Instruments not only increase the speed of telegraph operators materially .but turn out the messages in plain roman type at the receiving end. I hope before long to have several of these instruments In use. The use Of typewriters for telegraphists receiving telegrams in the ordinary way is being rapidly extended. A large number of machines have been issued in the last year or two, and I propose to vigorously carry out this policy. The tenders for' inland mail services will be re-let this year. I intend to give every consideration to the representations made by country residents for the extension and improvement of the service. It has for some time been under consideration whether parcel post rates could be reduced. As all mail services are under contract it was impossible to carry out this Intention during the current triennlum. With, the re-letting of mail services, however, I will endeavour to make arrangements with mail contractors td.fall in with the views of the Department. While I have briefly indicated''the principal points concerning the largb questions now under attention, there are many more matters which will be dealt with as occasion rises. The great volume of business transacted by the Department brings in considerably mofe than' £1,000.000 of revenue per annum,, and 1 am glad to say that progress has been fully maintained during Aha yeat just closed."