SPEAKING TO AUCKLAND

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8363, 25 February 1913, Page 7

SPEAKING TO AUCKLAND

NEW TELEPHONE SERVICE. NEARING COMPLETION. Before long those dwellers in Wellington who have sweethearts, cousins, sisters, or brothers in Auckland will be enabled to hold their pleasant conversations “over tho wire.” Letterwriting will become but a stage in tho progress of communication ; and there will no longer be such necessity for laconic compression as is imposed on the sender of a separate telegram. The new telephone line will also bo an immense convenience to business 'people, permitting greater promptitude and facilities for quick deals. The postal authorities advise that arrangements have been almost completed for the inauguration of this .new telephone service between Wol.lington and Auckland. At present there is a considerable amount pf construction remaining to be done before the service can be permanently established; but by means of arrangements of a more or loss temporary character, it is hoped that it may be possible to give at least a partial service within a month. As evidencing the magnitude of tho work, it may be mentioned that the new double line will run for a distance of 410 miles, which is sixteen miles shorter than the route taken by the Main Trunk railway. There are thus 820 miles of copper wire, weighing in the aggregate 100 tons, and valued at £15,000, employed in the construction. The connection will be used for Morse work as well as for telephoning, and tho necessities of the telegraph work will to some extent curtail the use of the wires for purposes of conversation. It is expected, however, that it will bo possible to assign two hours during tho day fco 8 p.m.) and the greater part of the night for conversation. . Some effort of the imagination' is necessary to realise what an amount of heavy work and privation was involved in the construction of this line, [ts completion indicates the advance being made in public utilities and conveniences, and the user who 1 ‘ringsup” his friend in the northern city might profitably bestow a benediction on the sturdy pioneers who have made possible this splendid result. The charges for communication have not yet been definitely fixed.