N.Z HAS TOP PRIORITY FOR TELEPHONES

Wanganui Chronicle, 11 March 1947, Page 4

N.Z HAS TOP PRIORITY FOR TELEPHONES

(P.A.) Auckland, March 10. A statement that New Zealand is at the top of the list for the provision of new telephone equipment and occupies an enviable position for the future was made by Mr. J. A. Scowcroft, of the telephone works of the General Electric Company, who has been visiting New Zealand since the middle of September, representing British telephone manufacturers. At th e invitation of the Prime Minister Messrs Scowcroft and E. H. Townsend came out io discuss with olficials here technical problems involved in extending the Dominion's automatic telephone systems. Mr. Townsend returned to Britain in January. Mr. Scowcroft said tnat New Zealand had been very favourable treated by the British Post Office, which had given considerable help in the obtaining of new supplies, but nevertheless he sought to discourage undue optimism by drawing attention to the length of time required for preliminary engineering work, the manufacturing of equipment and finally for its installation.

One ot the difficulties affecting New Zealand, of course, was the unprecedented shortage of telephones everywhere. One of the main sources of supply, Germany. was dosed because Allied control did not permit the manufacture of telephone equipment there. Asked about the sources of supply, Mr. Scowcroft said a certain amount of telephone equipment came in from America during the war under lend-lease, but it was too expensive to be availed of now.

In Britain the industry had the advantage of five great telephone companies co-operating together and they were seeking to accelerate New Zealand's supply. The supply position was, at the moment, improving. Manufacturers had the problem of turning from war-time to peace-time basis, and the problem of the shortage ot labour, largely brought about by the withdrawal of control of labour. After consultation with the chief engineer, Mr. E. H. R. Green, and Mr. G. R. Milne, superintending engineer of automatic telephones, and their staffs in Auckland and Wellington and other centres, Mr. Scowcroft said he and Mr. Townsexrf! have submitted a report to Mr. Green concerning an extension programme and standardisation of equipment. Mr. Scowcroft has concluded his visit and is to leave for Sydney by air in the morning. Discussing tiie prospects of extensions, Mr. Milne said he expected< automatic equipment for exchanges at New Plymouth, Nelson and Lower Hutt would be shipped from England in April ox- May. Equipment for Wellington and Auckland will follow later in the year, but it will not be ready for service in Auckland before the end of 1948. The department will be progressively opening new exchanges and extending facilities with new equipment from 1949 on into 1951.