TALK COSTS £9

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 141, 16 June 1936, Page 3

TALK COSTS £9

An unusual telephone conversation took place on Saturday evening between Mr. C. A. Biland, of Cambridge, and his mother in Switzerland (states a Hamilton correspondent). The call is believed to be the first radiotelephone conversation to have been made between New Zealand and Switzerland. On Saturday Mr. Biland advised the post office at Cambridge that he wished to put the call through, and gave his mother's address and telephone number. No prior arrangements had been made with his mother either by letter or cablegram. Mr. Biland was notified about 6 p.m: that the connection had been established, and he immediately commenced to speak to his mother. Mr. Biland has not seen her far six years. The audibility was fairly good, and Mr. Biland readily recognised his mother's voice. Several sentences, however, had to be repeated, and, although the conversation actually lasted for 32 minutes, the charge was only for five minutes. This amounted to £9. Mr. Biland was thoroughly satisfied with the talk, which had given great pleasure both to himself and his mother.