Telephone Privacy

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30846, 3 September 1965, Page 14

Telephone Privacy

Sir, —The article in this morning’s issue about allegations of eavesdropping in the Paeroa telephone exchange encourages me to write in the hope that the “hornets' nest” may be stirred up elsewhere. I think the Lincoln exchange operators must be quite the worst offenders Numerous complaints by many residents, not only to the local postmaster, but the chief postmaster. Christchurch, have brought no improvement It is a common occurrence to hear their sudden laughter and comments.

As the operator from Paeroa said, when you have a private line, and pay extra for the privilege, you are surely entitled to hold a private conversation. Hoping an airing of complaints may result in a better sei vice in the future. —Yours, etc., DISGUSTED. August 29, 1965.

[The chief postmaster (Mr J. W. Lincoln) said: “With the exception of one written complaint made to the Chief Postmaster in April, 1964, no other complaints have been received about Lincoln telephone exchange operators. The postmaster has dealt with verbal complaints of a similar nature and has taken appropriate action with the operators. The latter is a very busy manual telephone exchange where noise level from operators at peak periods would be high. If the correspondent would call and let me have further details I would be pleased to have this behaviour fully investigated.”]