AUTOMATIC TELEPHONES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 221, 6 June 1918, Page 6

AUTOMATIC TELEPHONES

TKIED AND SCRAPPED IN AMERICA.

Mr. H. G. Hovle. ex-Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Railways., criticises the Postid Department for introducing the system of automatic telephones which has been tried and dls"cardeil in Anierua. Tho ex-Ministcr (sajs tbe Sjdnejr "Sunday Times") was not long ago ou a .tout through the United States of America. What he has to say about tho Svdner telephone system should l>e investigated. In Chicago,' he says, the automatic -telephones were tried by oue company for a year, and" wore then scrapped No other company in America, 'lie asserts, would use the'automatio system, and the switchboard is now in general use there. "I regard it as a public, outrage," Mr. Hoyle declares, "that the Commonwealth should now lw about to expend over two millions sterling upon a system of telephones that J.ins been scrapped in America." Mr.' Hovle ?n.vR that the Au , ;- t.rnlian control of telephones suffered ■ when compared to that of America. Among th.) advantages of the American system ho mentioned the boxes in public. t)l:ii>e? in the cities ivh»iv for 5 cents girls secured tho munu-jr any culler wanted, and he does no f p»y his mon»y W tho cnll till ho bar- ui«l the telephone. Mr. Hoyle contumU that the aiit-omatie telephone is i defective svstern, nnd that the extension of it is n scandal. ■ ,