TELEPHONE SERVICE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 31, 6 February 1937, Page 18

TELEPHONE SERVICE.

IMPROVEMENT SCHEME. NEW EQUIPMENT ORDERED. (Prom Our Own I 'Spondent.) NEW PLYMOUTH, Friday. The hope that at a very early date arrangements would be made to provide New Plymouth with an up-to-date post and telegraph oflice and a new automatic exchange was expressed to-day by the Postmaster-General, the Hon. F. Jones.

The Minister explained that the iliflicultios of obtaining operatives were great, and although New Plymouth would perhaps have the last "of the manual exchanges in the district, there would he some satisfaction in having the latest automatic system when it was completed. He added that c.irly improvements were to he made in toll telephone services in New Zealand, including the provision of a new cable for Cook Strait, which would result in better communication between the North and South Islands. The new cable was expected to reach New Zealand in March, and when it was laid it would be an easy with the South Island at any time of the day, without the subscriber having to' wait his turn, as at present. additional large order had been sent for carrier-current apparatus, further to.improve communication betwc .n centres. At present the department had carrier-current between the main centres only, but a very large order to supply equal facilities to provincial centres and generally to link all the main towns in New Zealand had been placed. The first of the apparatus would arrive in NewZealand in April.- •>