Skip to main content

Story: Rural services

Talking on the party line

Video file

A 1953 film illustrates how farmers maintained their own telephone system before the Post and Telegraph Department extended its service to outlying areas. After the Second World War many country districts were served by party lines, with up to 10 customers each. Users could listen in on other people’s conversations.

Using this item

Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: Telephone Talk. National Film Unit, 1953

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Nancy Swarbrick, Rural services – Communications, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/18564/talking-on-the-party-line (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 1 March 2009.