GAIN IN TELEPHONE SUBSCRIBERS

Southland Times, Issue 23332, 16 October 1937, Page 22

GAIN IN TELEPHONE SUBSCRIBERS

GREATER USE IN HOMES New Zealand’s telephone system continues to reflect the expansion in business ' throughout the country. There has been a gain in the first five months of the current financial year of 3902 subscribers, after making allowance for relinquishments. This has brought the total to 142,042, which represents an advance of 9394 connections compared with the corresponding date of last year, and an improvement of 20,981 on the diminished list of subscribers in July 1933, when the telephone lists reflected—in the reverse direction--the economic conditions then prevailing. The social or domestic use of the telephone is one of the most marked features in this expanding business. It is taken for granted that every commercial enterprise must be equipped with a telephone, and it is also customary to provide additional lines as a business expands. Residential telephones are now regarded as equally essential, judging by the development of this side of the business, for in the upward movement from the depression point the additional connections made to residences total over 15,000, which is more than three times the increaser-in the number of new business connections. In total strength also the residential telephones are more numerous. Taking the relative position of the two classes of subscriber, the business subscriber accounts for 30 per cent, and the residential subscriber for 70 per cent, of the total number of telephones connected to the exchanges of the Dominion.