CABLE OPERATORS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3015, 28 February 1917, Page 4

CABLE OPERATORS

ENLISTMENT CREATES DIFFICULTY. A remarkable state of aSairs waff revealed at yesterday's sitting of thai Third Wellington Military Service" Board, when the Post and Telegraph.' Department appealed on belialf -~ ot twelve cable operators employed by the Eastern Cable Company at the Wakapuaka station, near Nelson. The twelvemen, forming the whole staff of the station, had all enlisted voluntarily, and the Department represented that if they were allowed to go into camp: the station would have to be closedand New Zealand's cable communica-j tion with the rest of the world wouldbe seriously curtailed.

The representative of the Department said that the men had_a.ll enusted because -they did not wish to be con-j scripted. Two of them had been picked t up in the last ballot. The station wasopen day and night, and the twelve' operators formed' a minimum staff.! The men could not be replaced, since! the training of a cable operator occupied from two to'three years. Ordinary telegraphist* could not undertake cable work without special' training. If the twelve men went 'into camp the result would be'disastrous. Mr. Mack: "Supposing these men insisted upon leaving Wakapuaka, would the cable service have to be cut off?. ' .Witness: "Yes, that is the position." . .. » ... Mr. Mack: "And they are the em-, ployees of a; private ,0-able company. I think it is high time the Government, had some control." I-li was explained that the men were-, quite willing to remain at their work( if required to do so, but they objected; to being conscripted, and so had volun-; The board.granted the twelve, operators leave .from military service sine die, provided Ijhey remained in their present employment and occupation: