A LONG WAIT.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18675, 26 April 1926, Page 8

A LONG WAIT.

TELEPHONE SHORTAGE SOME OF THE CAUSES. AUTOMATIC SYSTEM COMING. (arSCUL TO "THE press.") WELLINGTON, April 25. The fact that serious complaints are being made in Christchurch in regard to the inadequacy of the prosent telephone facilities was brought under the notice of the Chief Telegraph Engineer, in Wellington, who made the following statement: — "The Department is at present engaged upon the installation of the full automatic system, which will cover the whole of Christchurch City and suburbs. It will be similar to those recently put into operation in Wellington and Auckland. Work in connexion with the installation is already going on at Hereford street, which is the central exchange. Work has also been commenced at St. Albans, where the main branch exchange is to be situated. Concurrently with this the laying of underground ducts and cables has been going on during tho past twelve months throughout, the whole of the Metropolitan area, and it will be from six to twelve months before that work is completed. This applies also to the installation of the automatic telephone switchboard apparatus at the two exchanges mentioned. "Quite recently, when Auckland was cut over to the automatic system, a section of the Auckland manual boaTd was transferred to Christchurch, and another section to Dunedin, in order to provide for the transition period which must olapse until tho underground distribution work and the automatic switchboard installation are completed. By this action the Department was enabled to increase the capacity by some hundreds of telephones. This increased capacity is being rapidly exhausted. "The system in Christchurch at present is a mixed one, being partly automatic and partly manual, and when the manual sections were transferred from Auckland, opportunity was taken to introduce into the Christchurch system certain features which greatly improved the service, and will continue in operation until the automatic system is introduced. Our Turn Last. "Everything possible has been done to improve the Christchurch service, and to provide for the waiting period which must elapse until the full automatic system can be made available. "The Department is at present engaged on a s'.milar work in Dunedin but is placing all available men upon the work at Christchurch and Dunedin, with a view to making available, as soon as possible, the full benefits of an automatic service in both those centres. "If no unforeseen conditions arise, it is hoped that in six months' time tho Dunedin system will be just about ready for operation, and this will enable greater concentration to be made upon the work in Christchurch. It is the intention of tho Department, when that stage is reached, to accelerate the work at Christchurch by means of the additional skilled installers who will bo available. "Waiting subscribers may rest assurod that every effort is being made both in their interest, and in the interests of tho Department itself, to have the full automatic service established at the earliest possible moment. The District Telegraph Engineer at Christchurch is doing his best to provide whatever temporary service is possible, and will give tho fullest information and assistance to anyone desirous of consulting him in connexion with telephone mattors. Tho work is one of considerable magnitude—much more than is realised by tho general public—but no effort is being spared hy the Department to push it to a successful and speedy conclusion."