NOT NEEDED NOW?

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 194, 18 August 1931, Page 7

NOT NEEDED NOW ?

USED MAINLY BY CHILDREN,

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

The abolition of the time service by telephone exchanges, as part of the general policy of economy now in force, was announced to-day by the Post-master-General, the Hon. J. B. Donald'. He said that with the increasing uee of radio electric clocks and public clocks provided by municipalities the need for the service had largely disappeared, and it was now availed of principally by echool children, who had discovered that the telephone number 396 might be rung from a slot machine without inserting a penny.'

Reports of operators at the Auckland exchange indicated that as many as 2000 calls for "time" had been received between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., the time when the children had been released from school.

It should be remembered that telephone rentals in New Zealand were at a flat rate per annum, whereas in America, Australia and most other countries a charge was made for each eall, including time inquiries.

At Auckland and Wellington the answering of time inquiries necessitated the employment of two operators at each place, and their services could be more usefully employed in other work.

The next issue of telephone directories in Auckland is expected in October. The last was in April. Prior to that the issue had been made in February and August, but this year's February issue was delayed for two months.