NEW ALTON TELEPHONE EXCHANGE TO BE OPENED ON MONDAY

Wanganui Chronicle, 22 September 1950, Page 8

NEW ALTON TELEPHONE EXCHANGE TO BE OPENED ON MONDAY

The Under-Secretary of Works, Mr W. A. Sheat, M.P., will open the new Alton rural telephone exchange next Monday. The project at Alton and Hurleyville has occupied skilled staff for 12 months and in that time 350 poles have been erected, providing more than 16 miles of pole-line. Though more can be provided for, over 100 subscribers will be connected to the exchange at cut-over. Approximately half of these people have been without telephone service until now, while the remainder have had ten-party manual lines serviced by Patea.

In the new exchange all lines are automatic and at the change-over no lines will be of more than six-party. Many will be non-party. Over five miles of cable, totalling f3O miles of wire, has been laid by a mole-plough. The function will commence at 2.45 p.m., but the opening is timed for 3 p.m. as it is necessary to fix an accurate time for the cut-over in order to ensure the minimum disruption of service to existing subscribers. P. and T. staff posted at various points in the Alton-Hurleyville area wdll make the necessary changes to divert the line into the new exchange building at Alton.

The district engineer, Mr G. Beaglehole has asked subscribers at Alton and Hurleyville to restrict their calls between 2.45 and 3 p.m. on Monday.

Subscribers in the new connection have been provided with modern desk telephones.