SLOT TELEPHONES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10680, 29 January 1913, Page 4

SLOT TELEPHONES.

_<« A QUESTION OF FUNDS. THE DEPARTMENT'S FINANCES. Li reply to a depr.tn.tion asking that a slot telephone should be erected in .Lincoln Road, Bpreydcn, the J-Joii It. 11. Rhocies on Monday stated that more slot telephones would be erected when funds v.ero available. He also stated that tho departmental estimates were •irawn up by the present Government's predecessor, l ? in olfice. and that there were nob .sufficient funds to supply all needs in that direction. Commenting on this in an interview last evening Mr H. G. KIJ, M.P.. said that the estimates for 1911 provided the sum of £105.C00 for new telephone exchange subscribers. Of that sum £89.82.) was spent. In 1012, when he was in oTlice. ho placed on the estimates £'llo.ooo. £SOOO more than was placed there in 1911. In 1911 the sum of £20,G00 was placed on the estimates for telephone extensions and new districts. In 1912 lie placed on the estimates, for the same" purpose, £25.000, an increase of i'nOflO. In the same year Mr Rhodes placed on the supplementary estimates £26'.000. lheso two items made « total of £50,000 for 1912l;}. Tn other words, this year Mr Rhodes had £IIO.OOO for new telephono exchange subscribers. as against £105,000 in 1911,' and £60,000 for telephone extensions and new districts; lio had £30,000 more than was voted during Sir Joseph Ward's Inst year of office as Peslmaster-General, and Parliament had given him this year £30.000 move than was available lastyear. Obviously he had plenty of money to provide for the extension of the rslnt telephone system. Mr Rhode.-, himself had F-tfi+cr! that the revenue of the Department this year had considerably increased, e.s compared with the revenue last year, lie could draw upon that increase. In the circumstances. Mr Ell said, lie could not accept- Mr Rhedes's statement that the money was not available as A valid reason for not erecting more slot telephones just