TELEPHONES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 99, 28 April 1922, Page 9

TELEPHONES.

(To tbe Editor.) Sir, —Iα your issue of 19th inst., you, publish an interview with an officer of the Telegraph Department, in which lie states that the automatic system of telephone* has been -pronounced a great tuocess in America. This is very interesting, but I am afraid, somewhat contrary to fju-t. When 1 visited the United States some two years ago, calling at most of the larger cities, I did not see any automatic telephones in use, except in a very few small hotels, and making inquiries as to why they were not in general use. I learned they bad keen thoroughly tried out as far back as ten years ago, and at various tnne» siace, in such cities as New York, Chicago, Seattle, and many more, and had in each instance been found unsatisfactory, as they will he found here, when, the Department lias spent enough on them. 'I am tbe user (whenever I can) of an automatic telephone in this city, and my experience has been the same as the reports my American friend ttfld mc. The Department should adopt the same system as is used in all big cities of the world as standard. 1 am not an expert on telephones, co J. will not endeavour to explain it, as I am sure someone more capable than niy- > self can do tbe matter more justice. 1 can say, however, that -while it has its disadvantage*, it is infinitely more, satisfactory than any other, possessing the quality of being reliable. —1 am, etc., BATTERY BFNG,