TELEPHONE BOOKS’
Some Go Out T<klay A fairly large consignment of Christchurch telephone directories arrived from Wellington yesterday, and distribution will begin today in Sumner and New Brighton. The deputy chief postmaster (Mr J. W. Lincoln), announcing this, said that in the past not enough copies of the new directory had arrived for general distribution. He thought it would be about three weeks before all the new directories were delivered. The delivery in the city area would occupy about 60 members of the staff and eight vans. In addition deliveries were being made in country districts erf directories sent direct to the larger post offices from Wellington. Distribution in the central area of the city would start as soon as enough copies were about 112,000 copies of the new directory are being printed, each weighing one pound and a half. Together, they weigh 65 tons. Subscribers to the new automatic exchanges at Halswell, Motukarara, Tai Tapu. and Governor’s Bay have been issued with the new directories, and Diamond Harbour subscribers have also received theirs. “Diamond Harbour was included because of a special provision by which subscribers there may dial into the Halswell exchange,” Mr Lincoln explained. “It was not much use giving them this facility if they were not told how to apply it.” A feature of the new directory is a list of Christchurch streets showing the new postal zone indicators. The distribution of the directory might be something of an embarrassment to the Post Office in the later stages, since it would coincide with the pre-Christmas rush. Mr Lincoln said. Publication had been held up a few days by printing delays. Meanwhile the “Dial 894” directory service of the Christchurch exchange system is having a busy time, and this is likely to continue until distribution of the new book is well advanced. The service now has to contend with 12.000 new numbers and number changes since the last directory was issued in November, 1960. Unfortunately only four operating places are available at the table to which the calls come, so that at rush periods the operators have difficulty in keeping up with the demand. When the new book is finally distributed, not more than two operators should be needed even at the busiest periods.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume C, Issue 29682, 28 November 1961, Page 26
Word Count
376TELEPHONE BOOKS’ Press, Volume C, Issue 29682, 28 November 1961, Page 26
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