TELEPHONE "TAPPED"

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 47, 5 December 1929, Page 6

TELEPHONE "TAPPED"

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RACING. FORTY OFFICERS INTERROGATED (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, December 4. Members of the operating staff ,ot the Auckland Telegraph Office are o-reatly perturbed at an inquiry in progress 'relating to conversations over their social telephone. During the course, of the Takapuna Jockey. Clubs spring meeting, it is stated, this telephone' was "tapped" by means of a duplicate wire which Avas switched on to the line, and that an officer or.otticers "listened in" to the conversations. -is a result two inspectors have come from Wellington to interrogate all members of the staff who used Thentelephone on Saturday and JYlonuay, particular attention being paid to talks having a bearing on racing and betting The members interrogated are being Confronted with a note of their exact conversation, and that of the persons at the other end of the social Over 40 members of the telegraph staff were interrogated by the two inspectors. The line was tapped by laying a. wire under the carpet. In some cases the employees sought legal advice. , lit is the rule of the Department that any officer refusing to supply information to a superior may be suspended. Betting conversations on the telegraph 'phones by officers on duty are strictly forbidden.