New Telephone Exchange

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 29, 12 March 1948, Page 5

New Telephone Exchange

Bigger Switchboard: Cables Still Congested Difficulties in the way of extending the telephone service in the Whakatane district are discussed in a letter from the Postmaster - General’s office which has just been received by Mr W. Sullivan, M.P. in reply to his representations on behalf of waiting applicants. Here follows the full text of the letter:— “I find that, while there is a shortage of manual telephone instruments at the moment, this is not the primary reason for the inability to provide connections for waiting applicants. The principal difficulties are the lack of vacancies on the switchboards and the congested state of the telephone cables. “My Department is fully alive to the need for relieving the position and, as you are probably aware, a building to house temporary exchange equipment is now being erected at Whakatane. As soon as the building is ready, the installation of a modern 600 line branching multiple manual' switchboard will be commenced. This exchange will be capable of serving up to 1000 subscribers and, if necessary, it could be extended to provide an additional 300 lines. “The equipment to be installed is up-to-date in every respect. It will be easy to operate and will provide the Whakatane subscribers with a first-class telephone service. “When the hew exchange is ready, it is hoped to commence connecting those applicants for whom circuits are available in the existing telephone cables. Unfortunately, the cables serving some areas are loaded to their maximum capacity and it. will not be possible to provide service for some applicants until additional cables are laid. This work has been planned but, owing to the necessity for completing other urgent works in the district, it may be some little time before it can be commenced.

“Further, in some instances, the applicants for service are located in rural districts and much new line construction will be necessary before connections can be provided for them. This work also will be put in hand as soon as the necessary labour and material can be made available. “You will appreciate that there is a tremendous amount of urgent telephone work requiring attention and the claims of all areas must receive consideration. You have, however, my assurance That no avoidable delay will occur in providing telephone service for waiting applicants in the Whakatane exchange area.”