A TAXI TELEPHONE

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 58, Issue 4188, 24 May 1939, Page 7

A TAXI TELEPHONE

COUNCIL GIVES APPROVAL. Mr W- Tootill attended the meeting on Monday evening of Te Awamutu Borough Council in connection with the Council’s instruction to Mr H. C. Rainey to remove the small telephone box in Roche Street attached to the west wall of Rainey’s Buildings some months ago without the permission of the Council. Mr Tootill said he would like to be informed where the complaint came from, for it was the first he had heard of it, though the telephone box had been installed nine months ago. He did not regard the location of the telephone as in any way dangerous to pedestrians, and said a similar service was not objected to in the cities, and he instanced a box at the corner of Queen and Customs Streets, Auckland. If the Council required the box to be removed, would that body suggest an acceptable location ? He regarded the box as essential in the conduct of his business, and pointed out that it had been installed at no cost to the Council.

Continuing, Mr Tootill said he needed a private telephone at the taxi stand. The telephone at his own office was fully, in use for other purposes, notably the parcels delivery service. The telephone box in Roche Street protruded only three inches beyond the water-pipe on the side of the building. It was pointed out that if-a pedestrian met with an accident there the Council might be liable to a claim for damages. That was why the Council took action. Mr Tootill said the private telephone was connected direct to his own office.

It was decided to permit the telephone to remain during the pleasure of the Council.