WAIKATO TO EUROPE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 168, 17 June 1936, Page 4

WAIKATO TO EUROPE.

MAN SPEAKS TO MOTHER. HAMILTON, June 15. An unusual telephone conversation took place last evening between Mr C. A. Biland, of Cambridge, and his mother in Switzerland. The call is believed to be the first radio-telephone connection to have been made between New Zealand and Switzerland. Mr Biland advised the Rost Office at Cambridge yesterday morning 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 0 p.m. that the connection had been established and he commenced to speak immediately to bis mother. Mr Biland has not seen bis mother for six years. The audibility was fairly good and Mr BilancP 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.