Telephone Faults Service

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31661, 23 April 1968, Page 14

Telephone Faults Service

Sir,—On a recent Friday evening I used a public telephone booth. After inserting 2 cents I dialled the wanted number and heard my wife reply. I then pressed button A but although I could hear her she could not hear me! In a spirit of helpfulness 1 decided to notify the Post Office that one of their telephones was not working satisfactorily. I followed the “Directions for Use” chart which gave instructions for calling telephone service. After (1) lifting the handset and waiting for dial tone, I (2) dialled 0 (without inserting any coins), and (3) asked the operator for Faults Service. She replied, “Please press button B and get your money back.” In the first place 1 had inserted no money, and in the second 1 bad lost my money initially when button A was pressed and no comnhihication made: Remembering: the story of Robert the Bruce and the spider I tried again and yet again. Each time I was enjoined, “Press button B and get your money back.” Did I fail to comprehend the instructions, or do they no longer apply?—Yours, etc., TXLXPHONX. April 16, 1968. [The Chief Postmaster of Christchurch (Mr M. E. Wilson) replies: “I apologise to your correspondent for the trouble experienced with one of the public telephones. The fact that your correspondent’s wife-was unable to hear her husband indicates that the operator also had the same trouble and was unable to hear the caller’s request for faults service. In these cir-