BELLS AND TELEPHONES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 832, 30 July 1910, Page 4

BELLS AND TELEPHONES.

p- ~ _.; A VISITOR HAS GREATNESS THRUST UPON HIM. It was- once observed by a gentleman who had more than a passing acquaintance with human nature, tnat.some men are bom to greatness, some achieve greatness, and sonic have greatness thrust upon them. 'Dr. Hell, a gentleman who is touring with his wiie, has had- a very good illustration of the last of the tnree methods in which fame aud the man become acquainted. When the doctor woke up at'the Grand Hotel in Auckland on Monday morning (says the Auckland "Star"), and had his matutinal nows-sheet handed to him, he .literally "woke to find himself famous." There could be no doubt about it. He had invented that useful instrum'ent of modern science, the tele-phone, he had "an interesting personality." he was "a man about 03 years of age, tall and well built, and with the head and face of a thinker." It was also suggested that he would probably be asked to advise the Dominion Government "on some points in connection with the telephone system," as ho had in Australia. Dr. Bell will probably look forward to this with mingled feelings, as his knowledge.of the telephone' is not of that sort, nor does it date back quite so far as that of another doctor of the same ilk. The real Dr. Bell (speaking telephonicaliy) is still across the Tasman Sea, somewhere in the Commonwealth, afid the confusion has arisen owing to the fact that there are two Dr. Bells in the Southern Hemisphere at the present time—rather a . remarkable coincidence—and the telephone Bell (which ia not paronomasy, although it looks like it) has not yet been hoard in the Dominion. Any person who rin.es un Dr. P. Bell at tlie Grand Hotel and asks ahriut telephones must do so at his own risk, and would, if he were wise wait till Dr. Alexander Graham Bell arrives. ,