Exchange Connected In Spite Of Storm

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31222, 21 November 1966, Page 10

Exchange Connected In Spite Of Storm

In spite of lightning, which earlier disrupted the telephone link between Leeston and Christchurch, the new automatic telephone exchange at Southbridge was successfully switched-in at an official ceremony on Friday and the retiring Minister for Transport (Mr McAlpine) was able to make the inaugural phone call to the National Party candidate for Selwyn (Mr C. McLachlan) in Christchurch.

The regional engineer for the Post Office (Mr H. W. Wilkinson ) warned the 200 people at the ceremony in the Southbridge Hall that some might find their telephones were out of order as a result of the storm. Those in the official party included Mr and Mrs McAlpine; the director of telephone services for the Post Office (Mr K. D. Gillespie) and Mrs Gillespie; Mr and Mrs Wilkinson; the chairman of the Ellesmere County Council (Mr W. E Walker): the county clerk (Mr W. S. K. Drew); the chairman of the county town committee (Mr D. H. Goulden); and the Leeston postmaster (Mr L. Spencer). The telephone had grown from small beginnings into something the people could not do without, Mr Goulden said. The new exchange would end a lot of frustration and delays, although it would also remove the personal touch and the odd “listen-in” on the party lines. The first telephone exchange in. Southbridge came into use in 1903 or 1904, when there were six subscribers and a direct line to Christchurch. By 1923 there were still only eight subscribers, and in the same year Leeston boasted only 23 subscribers. The new exchange was an important milestone in the district, Mr McAlpine said, and would provide the most

up-to-date telephone service in New Zealand. Throughout New Zealand four out of five subscribers were now on automatic exchanges, and a new exchange was soon to be built at Eyrewell at a cost of £47,000 The new Southbridge exchange had cost £61,500. The United States and Sweden were the only countries ‘which had more telephones a I head of population than New ; Zealand, and a telephone was a necessity for businessmen land farmers. ' Communications must grow with the community, said Mr Gillespie. Everywhere there was evidence of the rapid growth of communications in New Zealand. Last year more than 36,000 new subscribers with about 60.000 telephones connected, but there were still 13.000 waiting for telephones, and it was no time for resting on laurels. Nevertheless. during the last five years 100 new automatic exchanges had been opened in New Zealand.

The Southbridge exchange was the first of three which would eventually replace the present Leeston manual exchange. Mr Wilkinson said. The next step would be the conversion of the Leeston exchange to manual operation. The new Southbridge exchange had involved layins 35 miles of cable, and if served 330 subscribers. After Mr Wilkinson had spoken the new exchange was cut in, and Mr McAlpine mads the first call. The party thei left the hall and crossed tht road to the new exchang< building, where Mr McAlpim unveiled a small plaque t< mark the opening of the ex change. Mr Wilkinson presented M McAlpine with a book on fly ing in the New Zealand alps to mark his retirement from politics.