TELEPHONE EXTENSION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18223, 17 October 1922, Page 6

TELEPHONE EXTENSION

AUCKLAND TO THE SOUTH.

%APIER AND NEW PLYMOUTH

CONTINUOUS SERVICES.

A continuous and direct telephonic service will shortly be available between Auckland and Napier, and Auckland and New Plymouth. The chief telegraph engineer, Mr. E. A. Shrimpton, stated yesterday that, owing to the relief afforded on the telegraphic system since the installation of the machine printing telegraph between Auckland and Wellington three months ago, several wires had become available for telephonic business, which was an increasing factor. The Postmaster-General, Hon. J. G. Coates, had authorised the conversipn of two wires to Taranaki and to Hawke's Bay into metallic circuits. Previously, it had been possible to speak to either of these places when pressure was off the lines at night, but a continuous service will shortly be available, which should prove a great convenience to Auckland business houses. Long distance telephone facilities from Auckland had lately been greatly improved. Direct communication with Tauranga, Rotorua, and the whole of the Bay of Plenty had been given by a line across the Hauraki Plains, and a great deal of the former delay in getting connections from Auckland to otner parts of the North Island should now disappear. The telephonic cable across Cook Strait, the laying of which the department had tn view, would finally enable Auckland to talk to Bluff or intermediate stations. _ Another indication of how the carrying capacity of the telegraph lines had been increased by the machine printing telegraph occurred recently wnen four out of six cables across Cook Strait were out of action. During the unavoidable delay in repairs, owing to the cable steamer Iris being engaged on, the Queensland coast, the machine printing telegraph ennbled the remaining two cables to carry the load without any great delay.