THE AUTOMATIC

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1800, 12 July 1913, Page 7

THE AUTOMATIC

TELEPHONE.

TENDERS ACCEPTED.

COMING INSTALLATIONS,

LOCAL PROSPECTS,

The Government has accented the ten- 1 (ler of the Western Electric Company 1 (Australasia), Ltd., to instal full automatic exchanges at Auckland, Wellington, Blenheim, Hamilton, Oamaru, and M&sterton, for the sura of «£59,555. The fact was announced in the House of Representatives yesterday by the Hon. B. H. Rhodes (Postmaster-General),/who stated, further, that tenders wro received from tho Western Electric Co. (Australasia.), Ltd., aad the Automatic Telephones (Australasia), Ltd. The engineering o&cers of the Department had been engaged for some time past in going thoroughly into the details accompanying the tenders. Tho expenditure of the .£89,555 would be spread over four years, and the first payment would fall due in 1914-15. Tho contract provided for full automatic switchboards at tho centres named, with branch exchanges'at Devonport, Takapuna, Onehunga, Ponsonby, Mount Eden, and Remuera in the Auckland area, and. at Conrtenay Place, Newtown, Kelburne, Karori, and Khandallah in the Wellington area. In the caso of the Auckland and .Wellington areas, tho work would bo spread over three years. Provision had already been made by means of auxiliary automatic apparatus to provide for the growth of tho central exchanges at those places. The now automaticsjstem would; therefore, bo first introduced into the suburban districts of Wellington and Auckland, and into the four smaller towns above-mentioned. When the whole areas at Auckland and Wellington were converted to full Automatic working, it was anticipated that the economies effected would enable a minimum uniform rate to bo spread over a much larger area than would be possible unde-rthe manual systems previously in use in the Dominion. . , , , . , Mr. G. W. Forbes: What about Christchurch and Dunjedin? Mr. Rhodes said that these cities would be equipped lateT. There was stall 6ome room for extension in their exchanges, whereas there was no room for tho extension at Auckland and Wellington. The smaller .towns ho had had been selected because business was increasing in these places, and the present switchboards were practically worn out. Mr. G. Witty: Will fresh tenders 1)0 called for the other cities afterwards? Mr. Rhodss: I hope to establish automatic telephones throughout tho country eventually. • , . . , Mr. Wilford aslced what form of bond had been demanded from the Western Electric Company to ensure the carrying out of th» contract; also whether tho Minister would lay the bond on the table, together with particulars of the sureties he had obtained. Mr. Wilford said that he Knew how much tho men of another company had been used by the Government in arriving at a decision. He tnevr what was going on in connection witn the lino between Wellington and Lower Hutt, and what stuff was being used in the cables which toto in process of repair, and where they came from. Ho asked the Minister to tijll the House frankly whether Sureties had been obtained, for what sum a bond had been entered, into, and the form of the bond. Ho wanted to know whether the sams position could arise as when the San iTancisco mail contraot lapsed some_ years aero, and no redress wag obtained. Mr. Rhodes: I will take the hon. gentleman's qufcstion into consideration, and give the House what information I think advisable. , , ~ _ , Dr A. K. Newman asked the Postmas-ter-General when the Wellington suburbs were likely) to,get;a,-reduced rate. Would it be in one,' two," or threo 'years/ Mr. Rhodes: Certainly wjthm three years. How soon we can complete the suburban service I cannot.say at the present time. When tho automatic system is established in these suburbs they will be within the minimum area. Mr. Wilford again askod for particulars of tho bond entered into with the Western Electric Company. The Minister, he said, liad not answered'his question. Mr Rhodes: I have told the hon. member that I will take his request into consideration, and give the House what information I' may think desirable. Mr W A. Veitch asked when- improvement's would bo made at Wanganui. The switchboard there had amved at such a state that it was almost impossible to secure further connections. He knew of instances in which people wno had applied for telephones had had to wait for months to get them. , Mr. Rhodes: I know that there has been delay in several centres owing to difficulty and delay in obtaining materials. Tho Wanganui exchange is not in as inefficient a condition as centres X havie mentioned, but it will in turn be equipped with automatic apmtatus. ' __