THE TELEPHONE AND FIRES.

Evening Star, Issue 11453, 22 January 1901, Page 7

THE TELEPHONE AND FIRES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sin,—ln connection with the alleged failure of the attendant at the Telephone Exchange to respond to a call on the morning of the fire-on our premises you published some days ago a local to the effect that as the result of an inquiry by the officer in charge you were authorised to state that the accusation was without foundation,. This reflects so seriously ilpon the young lady who used the telephone on the occasion referred to that I would ask you, its an act of simple justice, to publish, the side of the case which is not the department's. It is, of course, easy, when one is anxiously waiting a reply, to imagine the delay much greater than it really is, and were there nothing to corroborate the bare statement that ten minutes were occupied in a futile attempt of this description I could readily understand the finding of the department's investigator As a matter of fact, however, Miss Dunn , actually heard the clock strike four when ; she gave her first ring, and when she left . the instrument, after vainly trying to get a response, the clock outside the" door showed the hour to bo 4.15. The officer who called upon her was quite satisfied with this statement, and in the face of it an investigation can only have disclosed either that the instrument was in disrepair or that the attendant was at fault. I myself called the Exchange from the same place at about 4.30, and failing to get a prompt raplv went to another instrument, My own Impatience may, in this case, be the explanation, but I feel sure the public will not be satisfied with the result of the inquiry when they have the above evidence before them. It will be interesting, at all events, to compare the outcome with that of a similar incident in Auckland. The fear of reprisals on the part of the . attendants at the Exchange has to some exl tent delayed reference to this matter, but ! unpleasantness of that nature can be toler- , ated if it will help to remove an unmerited reproach.—l am, etc, F. W. MITCIIETJ, „„ (Fergusson and Mitchell). January 21.