TELEPHONE CHARGES.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18541, 11 April 1930, Page 6

TELEPHONE CHARGES.

To the Editor of the “ Timaru Herald." Sir,—An eiaoorately got up folder regarding the advantages of the telephone in the home was delivered in the household mail to-day. I agree that a telephone is a most necessary affair but the P. and T. Department must think otherwise. I find that an individual line costs £7/10/-. Wondering what happens to all these seven-pound-tens, I looked up the Year Book and found the following illuminating information. The revenue of the Telegraph Department last year was £2,003,750. The expenditure was £1,621,903. The surplus was £381,843. I'he number of telephone subscribers was 120,274. Thus the Department could quite profitably reduce the subscriptions by £2 all round, and still have a surplus, even with presem numbers. But a reduction would greatly increase the number of subscribers, and the value of having the telephone, which in turn would also tend to the expansion of the service.

and the revenue. Then why on earth is this not done? It appears to be pure inertia or something of the sort. Surely the Government realises that the telephone is a public service, and not a commercial enterprise for raising revenue from the legitimate needs of the population. Why do our socalled “business” men meekly pay a fee £2 in excess of what it should be? Evidently “whatever is, is best.”—l am, etc., “EXCESSIVE CHARGE.”