HAMILTON TELEPHONES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 123, 25 May 1923, Page 6 (Supplement)

HAMILTON TELEPHONES.

1 At one time Hamilton's telephone system was the despair of everyone who attempted to use it. It was no fault of the staff. The unfortunate "Hello girls" did their best, but the system was over- I loaded, and it was impossible to attain better results. Business people recognised this, and adopted a "more in sorrow than in anger" attitude when forced to use the telephone, because no one would attempt to use it unless compelled, as in many instances it was I quicker to make a personal call than to i"ring up." But three years ago a .change came o'er the scene. The antiquated individual system was "scrapI ped," and the automatic system was inj stalled. This proved to be a wonderful improvement, and after three years' use i has been found remarkably efficient. The | system is mechanically perfect, and to- j . day it is a pleasure to use tlie telephone i jin Hamilton. The trunk lines have been j j added to, and there is very little delay jin getting a bureau call through. The j officials in charge of the bureau are 'smart and courteous, and complaints arc I practically unknown in Hamilton. Party lines are also connected to the j automatic system, and subscribers say I they have none of the troubles they used | (to have with the old party line system.

! In the district controlled by Hamilton ; there are close on 6000 subscribers to the comprehensive system of telephonic communication. Between Mercer and Cambridge there are 4000 telephones, and in the wide country south of that cross-country line there is scarcely a mile gap between subscribers. New installations have been made steadily during the past few years, and many arrears of applications for telephones have been made up. The demand, however, is very keen, most of the country people believing in the comfort of a telephone in an isolated home, where sickness or accident may necessitate a long and difficult journey for skilled aid. Hundreds of telephone connections have yet to be made up in the district, and everything possible is being done to meet the demands of the district. The Exchange was opened in 1904 with the manual system, and it served 42 subscribers. Since the introduction of the automatic system four extensions have been made, and at the present time there are over 2000 subscribers. The service is continuous, and communication with Auckland, Palmerston North and Wellington is available, and provision is being made for similar communication with New Plymouth and Napier.