REUNITED BY TELEPHONE

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22765, 18 July 1939, Page 9

REUNITED BY TELEPHONE

SWISS SPEAK TO THEIR HOMELAND (PBSSS ASSOCIATION TEUEGBAK.) WELLINGTON. July 17. Swiss living in New Zealand spoke by telephone with relatives in their homeland at the week-end from the home of the Swiss Consul at Wellington, Dr. Walter Schmid, of Khandallah. The call came from the pavilion of the 400,000 Swiss living abroad at the Swiss National Exhibition at Zurich, comparable in scope to the forthcoming centennial exhibition at Wellington, and was arranged by the Association for Swiss Living Abroad in conjunction with the exhibition management. Ten Swiss people came to Dr. Schmid’s, some from towns other than Wellington. Seven of them spoke to relatives who had journeyed to Zurich for the purpose. The scene was a touching one as a modern wonder brought near the voices of relatives many thousands of miles away, and in most cases not seen for many years. The call from Zurich lasted 10 minutes. The conversation was clear. The Post and Telegraph Department specially installed a new telephone receiving set at Dr. Schmid’s home for the purpose.

Dr. Schmid was told from Zurich that three million persons had already gone through the exhibition since it opened in May. While it is in progress, more than 50 Swiss communities in all parts Of the world will be called up by telephone, as were those Swiss ui New Zealand who assembled at Dr. Schmid’s home.

The most exciting moment at the gathering at Dr. Schmid’s home was when the telephone rang after some minutes of anxious waiting. Then years, oceans, and continents were spanned, as father and mother talked to sons and daughters, and sisters, brothers, aunts, and cousins were briefly reunited. When the call was concluded, the Swiss visitors stayed at Dr. Schmid’s for a patriotic celebration.