AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10542, 4 January 1913, Page 3

AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGES.

0 Per Press Association. Wellington, January 3. The Postmaster-General states that the Government has called for tenders for full automatic equipment for the 'telephone exchanges at Auckland, Wellington, Blenheim, Hamilton, Masterton, and Oamara. Tenders are [to close on the Ist May next. . Three companies that manufacture apparatus sof this kind have been invited to submit tenders. The equipment for “Auckland and Wellington will he for some thousands of lines each, while the requirements of the smaller places named will he met by installations ;'of a few hundred lines m each case. The two cities of Wellington and Auckland have XJi'actically outgrown the ultimate capacity of the existing class of switchboard, and the older portions of.the board are much worn. To provide for new subscribers it has been decided to abandon the introduction of more manual switchboards, and ‘with that object automatic apparatus to accommodate 500 subscribers for each of the places named lias been ordered, and is due to arrive in the Dominion within two or three weeks, when a start will he at; once made to get it ready for operation. The smaller places referred to have at present very inferior appliances and as new apparatus is necessary, it has ;,been decided to equip with what is considered to bo the most efficient system. There are other places that also require new telephone exchange “equipments. These, _ however, are less urgent, and will receive consideration later. The cities of Christchurch and Dunedin have not yet reached the ultimate capacity of their present switchboards. It is therefore possible for them to carry on for a while longer, but it is considered that the introduction of the automatic system at those places would effect both; economy, and improvement in the service, and it is hoped that it will be possible to install the full automatic system at no very distant time. At some of the exchanges at present working on the earth return system, arrangements have beeen made to install metallic circuits, so as soon as the material can be provided this will income instances be done by means of armoured cable laid in trenches, or ■ when circumstances warrant, in suitable conduits. maaraMagaißgiaaßßaßiaßaigenai Mother knows when the youngsters catch colds —Tonking’s Linseed Emulsion cures them.