AUTOMATIC ’PHONES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17183, 29 October 1923, Page 1

AUTOMATIC ’PHONES.

ARE THEY SATISFACTORY? VIEWS OF SUBSCRIBERS. A telephone subscriber who is on the automatic system called at the “ Star ” office the other day to secure publicity for his opinion about the service. Ho spoke more in sorrow than ir. anger, though the latter was not entirely absent. He complained that his house was being constantly called up at all hours of the day and night by people who did not Want his number at all. Tilne after time he had been summoned from dreamland to answer the insistent ’phone, only to find that the caller wanted somebody a few blocks away. He suspected tli3 telephone staff of a deep laid plot against his peace of mind and body. The constant connection of wrong lumbers was iritating to a degree. Two users of the automatic telephone who were interviewed on the subject expressed varying views as to the efficiency of the automatic. One stated that he had experienced very little trouble with the automatic machine. He had one at his place of business and another at his residence. At times lie had some trouble in getting the number he -wanted, but this was generally after a. storm, and he thought it was due to the fact that water had got into the cables. He had not had any experience of the manual telephones in Christchurch. hut lie had experience of them in Auckland. He had encountered far more trouble with the manual telephones in Auckland than with the automatics in Christchurch. The other business man gave a different story. Tn his experience the automatic telephones were not a great improvement, if any at all, on” the manual machines, and at the present time there was not much advantage in possessing an automatic, because there were comparatively few numbers that one coiild call up without being connected through the manual exchange in the ordinary way. Of course, the usefulness of the automatic telephones Would increase as the number of automatics in use increased. He had had difficulty in getting numbers with the automatic, and he had had the experience of being made a listener to another conversation instead of getting the number he required. Sometimes, too. his telephone had been disconnected altogether from central, and it might he a quarter of an hour before this fault was remedied. However, he was holding no brief for the manual telephones. He had one at his residence and he had had trouble with that as well. The other night v ith this manual machine he had tried for about an hour to call up a friend, but without success. There vas no doubt 'that the present telephone service was by no means perfect. He considered that a good deal of the tiouble was due to the fact that the piesent manual switch board was overtaxed. He supposed that the service would he greatly improved when the v hole of the system was automatic. Other automatic subscribers who were seen expressed general satisfaction with the system, but they all agreed that the connection of wrong numbers when the automatic and manual were linked up was a real nuisance. They suggested that greater care on the part of the operators,, or an increase in the operating Btaff. would effect an improvement.