British Strike May Delay Telephone Exchange

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31093, 23 June 1966, Page 10

British Strike May Delay Telephone Exchange

Delays in deliveries that could arise from the British seamen’s strike may hold up the conversion of the Rangiora telephone exchange from manual to automatic operation.

“The strike Is just starting to make its effect felts,” said the Regional Engineer of the Post Office (Mr H. W. Wilkinson) yesterday. “At the moment, we are trying to find out what items of equipment are on the wharves or in factories in Britain, or what has escaped the strike.” It was not always possible to find out what had been shipped until fairly late, said Mr Wilkinson. Recently, he had learnt that equipment had been on a ship on the New Zealand coast for a fortnight. This applied generally to Post Office equipment, but the items he was particularly interested in were those for the Rangiora job. “Some of the equipment is here now, about one-third of it, and it will be three or four weeks before we know just what has been affected by the strike.

“We have close liaison with the British Post Office with a pool arrangement for buying equipment, but it can’t help us over any delays that may arise from the strike. “If we had all the equipment here now, it would take about six months to complete the Rangiora change, as we must have all the pieces of equipment in position before the wiring can begin.” The conversion to automatic dialling at Rangiora will

bring the sub-exchanges at Sefton, Woodend, Ohoka, and Loburn into a group in which all the subscribers will be able to dial each other. On long-term plans, the Oxford and Oust exchanges will be brought into this group.