THE EXCHANGE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 299, 30 April 1941, Page 5

THE EXCHANGE

ANSWER TO CRITICISM

In an interview following the recent criticism of the local telephone exchange service in the BEACON the postmaster, Mr L. G. Wood, has explained that at the present time owing to staff difficulties created by the war, the exchange service has of necessity been 'slowed up.' By a slight extension of hours it was possible to do without one operator, but owing to the growing shortage of male operators, it was found necessary to engage three temporary female assistants. Work of this nature requires in normal times six * months to become efficient but under the circumstances the operators have been forced to carry on with very limited l experience. The question of party lines was also mentioned by Mr Wood who said that on many there were seven and eight individual subscribers. To serve

these lines, it was necessary to have a knowledge of the morse code, while it was also extremely awkward 1 to know when the subscribers were ringing' each other, or were requiring the exchange. Under the circumstances, subscribers were asked to bear with the postal authorities who were endeavouring to give reasonable attention and accuracy under severe handicaps. The P. nrd T. Department has at the* present time a total of 300 men either serving overseas or awaiting being called up.