CHEAPER TELEPHONES

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3272, 27 February 1937, Page 5

CHEAPER TELEPHONES

CUT OF £1 SUGGESTED

MOVE BY BUSINESSMEN

That an endeavour be made to secure a reduction in telephone charges and the abolition of the £1 connection fee was urged at the quarterly meeting of the South Auckland Association of Country Chambers of Commerce.

Mr J. H. Bartlett, secretary of the Paeroa Chamber, stated that there was a tendency for departments of State to get into grooves and for their "experts" to produce figures showing that present charges should always be adhered to. However, the speaker suggested that the department should look upon the matter as Henry Ford had done, and make an effort to give a service at the lowest possible figure, leaving it to increased turnover to supply the profit. This Was an accepted axiom of business, but it did not seem to apply to telephones. There seemed to be many anomalies, such as Auckland businesses paying. more than was paid in Paeroa. Again, there was the penny-in-the-slot telephones for each call, yet the speaker thought that the average private user paid more than a penny per call. For the small businessman the telephone was an expensive necessity, and for the private home it was a luxury. The idea was that the remit should go to the Minister in charge, suggesting that charges be revised downwards and that the fee of £1 charged for connecting be abolished.

In reply, the Paeroa postmaster, Mr M. J. Bowles, stated that toll charges had already been reduced, and that he thought that as more telephones were installed the department would no doubt be in a position to revise the charges on the downward scale. The speaker thought that only Holland had a cheaper service than New Zealand had.

Mr C. G. Munns, Matamata, held that the charges were too highland because he resented this he had no telephone in his business premises. Mr J. Thorn, M.F\. for Thames, said that theoretically the remit was unanswerable, and if he had a vote he would support it. If it went forward the Postmaster-General could then put his case before the association. The department was crowded with men who were eager to give the best possible service to the community. The speaker said that if any section of people should get a good telephone service it was people in a remote district. The telephone was a social need. The motion was carried unanimously.

On the suggestion of the Paeroa delegates it was agreed to support the principle of the consolidation of the smaller telephone exchanges within a radius of 10 miles of large exchanges.