The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1920-08-13
Phone Tolls Plans
ArouSeS Opposition
Would Impose Toll Between All Ex-
changes From 5 To as Cents
Chamber Of Commerce Refused
More Time By Utilities Board

WOIe lll1e by UCllltleS bOarG
The testimony of T. A. Brown, man.
ager of the local telephone company
before the public utilities commission
this morning, was that the proposed
toll system petitioned for by the com.
pany, will reduce the number of calls
in Makawao, Paia, and other country
districts from 2/3 to 3/4.
With the present tolls to Hama, he
testified, there are at present only
about 25 calls per day.
These are practically all business
calls, but even so he is confident OF
a considerable reduction when higher
tolls are put into effect.
The petition of the company for
permission to raise its rates to sub
scribers and also to establish tolls
for any call outside of the exchange
in which the call originates, was
made public on Maui for the first time
yesterday. By it the company plans
to increase it's revenues sufficiently
to enable it to pay the recently in
creased wages of its employees, and
to pay reasonable profit on the in
vestment The company stained a
loss of more than $4,000 last year, and
owing to it's extensive improvements
and increased expenses has not been
able to pay any dividends at all since
the Mutual Telephone Co., secured
the control few years ago.
What The Company Asks
The local company wants to be
permitted to raise it's revenues
through the following means:
Increase residence phone rental
from $3.50 to $4 per month.
Increase business phone rental from
IS to $3.50 per month.
To establish the following toll rates
for minutes or under:
Wailuku to Lahaina, Is cents.
Wailuku to Paia, 10 cents.
Wailuku to Makawao, Is cents.
Wailuku to Hama, 80 cents.
Hama to Paia, 20 cents.
Lahaina to Makawao, 80 cents.
Lahaina, to Hama, As cents.
Paia to Makawao, cents.
Paia to Lahaina, 25 cents.
Makawao to Hama, 25 cents.
Overtime talk on all connections
where the toll rate is 10 cents or
more, 10 cents for each minutes or
fraction.
Chamber Discusses Matter
The matter was brought up in the
chamber of commerce meeting yester-
day afternoon and discussed at con-
siderable length, with result that n
committee was finally named, consist
ing of Will. ]. Cooper, e. R. Bevins
and J. Garcia to ask the utilities
commissioners to grant 80 days fur
ther time to enable the committee to
study the details of the companys
petition and to make recommends
tions.
The sentiment of the chamber was
not in opposition to any necessary in
crease in the company's rates, but
much criticism was voiced to the toll
adopt. 1t was held to be particularly
unfair to the outlying central Maui
districts. A. F. Tavares, manager of
the Haiku Fruit & Packing comapny,
stated that his company's bills under
the new plan would be over 800 per
month.
~Strong dissent was also voiced to
the company's expressed policy of
making it impossible to use the lines
freely, on the ground that the welfare
of Maui is greatly dependent upon
this form of communication.
Inasmuch as the toll idea was new
to the members, various suggestions
were tentatively offered, most of
which were for modification of the
toll plan Harold Rice opposed any
form of tolls as tending to destroy
community spirit, which he held has
largely been developed through the
telephone.
Committee Turned Down
Following the meeting of the cham
ber, the committee appointed waited
upon the utilities body which was
still in session, but the commission
ers were unwilling to grant the 80
days further time asked, on the
ground that Maui people had had am
PIE time to be familiar with the plans
of the company. Anybody, the COM
mittee was told, might have secured a
copy of the phone company's petition