TELEPHONE SHORTAGE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 16, 14 October 1943, Page 4

TELEPHONE SHORTAGE

Little Prospect Seen Of Early Relief

WELLINGTON WAITING LIST

OVER 2000

Any hopes which may be held by the largo number of people who are waiting for the installation of telephones appear to be doomed to disappointment. It is slated that, because mainly of the difficulty in obtaining supplies from overseas, there is still an acute shortage of telephones and subsidiary equipment. Prospects of an early improvement are considered remote.

Names on the waiting list are kept in strict order of date of application. Every consideration, it is stated, is given where special factors, such as sickness, apply, tout as supplies of hand telephones are practically exhausted, requests of this type have had to be declined. The total number of subscribers in the Wellington exchange area is approximately 27,000. Applications for telephones in band total ove 1 2000 —1500 iu Wellington and 550 in Hutt.

In addition to private subscribers, there has been a steady demand for telephones from the commercial community. Firms are treated in the same manner, except that if the concern is essential to the prosecution of the war, every effort is made to give priority to its demands. The extreme shortage of , switching equipment has as vital a bearing as the shortage of telephones, it is stated. Thus a subscriber removing from one district to another may not necessarily be able to retain a telephone, in addition to which practically all exchanges are loaded to capacity in the Wellington area. The belief is held iu some quarters that reduced establishments in the armed services might enable the release of telephones. It is explained, however, that ■the requirements of the armed services are still very substantial, there being little, if any, reduction in the scope and ■activity of these departments, some of which, in addition, will be required to carry on for a period after the war.