Christmas Callers Keep Tolls Busy

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30633, 26 December 1964, Page 1

Christmas Callers Keep Tolls Busy

Toll operators at the Christchurch Post Office had done a fine job in one of the busiest Christmases for toll calls yet, the deputy chief postmaster at Christchurch (Mr M. E. Wilson) said yesterday. Last Christmas Day the Post Office put through 6750 outgoing toll calls from Christchurch, and although final figures for yesterday are not yet available it seems certain the figure this year will be higher. The operators were kept very busy in the morning, when there were quite long delays to most distant centres. The pressure kept up until about 4.30 p.m. when there were no delays, but in the evening the operators were again inundated with calls, and it was particularly hectic from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. There were many overseas calls lodged. Eighty calls made today to Britain, the

United States and Australia had been booked several weeks ago. The Press Association reported delays of up to two hours or more on several internal toll circuits from Auckland, and a fully-booked service for overseas calls from that city. The tolls section of the Auckland Post Office reported yesterday one of the busiest on record. The overseas circuit to Britain, in particular, was so heavily booked that many subscribers were forced to take their calls on the day before Christmas or to have to wait until today to make their calls.

A total of 580 operators were on duty in the central, auxiliary, overseas and subexchanges of the post office.

Statistics of the number of toll calls made internally and overseas are expected to be compiled on Tuesday.