TELEPHONE SERVICE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 11323, 29 September 1930, Page 4

TELEPHONE SERVICE

long DISTANCE CALLS

IMPROVED FACILITIES TO RE PROVIDED.

(Special To The Times). ' WELLINGTON, Sept. 27 Better service to the public in the matter of long-distance calls is nowsought bv the Post and Telegraph Department, which is endeavouring to arrange for improved access to telephones during the hours that exchanges are operating. i Travellers and others who wish to use public telephones for the puipose of bureau calls will benefit by the alteration which : will affect all main towns and concerning which the head office has been making inquiries in 70 centres. . ■ At the same time, the difficulties presented in some cases are so great that it will be some considerable time before all centres for . which, the service is desirable are in receipt of it. The question .is . the double one of access to a telephone, and attendance at economic rates. In a considerable number of smaller centres, the telegraph office attendance is front 9 a.m. to o p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. In those same offices, the telephone exchange is open until midnight and possibly continuously. The attempt now being made by the Post -Office is.to open the way for the public to use the telephone for bureau purposes during the hours that the exchange is operating. in some cases the cost of providing facilities has proved to be prohibitive; in other‘cases it is possible to arrange it easily. One of the problems .is the question of admittance of the public to buildings where .the. telephones are available. However, arrangements have already been made in a-number of cases and, an announcement; will bn made as the work progress. Even in the main centres, as yet, it is not possible to use the telephone for a bureau call at any hour.