FORTY MEN INVOLVED

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 137, 6 December 1929, Page 8

FORTY MEN INVOLVED

POST OFFICE INQUIRY

TELEPHONE COiN'VERSATiOXS

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to "The Evening Post.")

AUCKLAND, This Day

Consternation has been caused at the Auckland Post Office as a result of the inquiry launched by two inspectors following listening-in to conversations over the telephone used by members of the operating staff while the Takapuna Jockey Club's meeting was in progress last Saturday and Monday. About forty men are involved, which comprises something like half the staff of the operating room.. It is alleged that in addition to having a wire with which to listen-in, an officer was stationed close to the telephone which was used aud took the names of the persons using the telephone and also the times at which it was used. This information was then compared with the times taken by the officer on the listening-in telephone. One official was charged with using the telephone for betting on a large number of occasions on the two days, and it appears that he was merely ringing np on behalf of others.

In two instances solicitors have been retained to defend the officials concerned at the inquiry. The investigation is purely a departmental one, and the method adopted is for the inspectors to endeavour to obtain written statements. It is alleged that telephone conversations are not evidence, according to a regulation, unless absolute proof can be hald of tho person at tho telephone being identified.

In order to facilitate betting telegrams on race days skeleton forms are prepared by departmental officers. Although the operating room at the telegraph office is the only one at the moment involved, suggestions have been made that listening-in has been resorted to m connection with other Government Departments.

An ex-officer of the Post and Telegraph Department stated yesterday that the present inquiry would be the usual nine days wonder, with perhaps a transfer or two, but otherwise nothing would be done. He commented on the fact that, a tremendous lot of business went through the telegraph office on all race days, and in the ordinary way the Department put every facility in the way of those who wished to send telegrams. He referred to the temptation that stared operators in the race on such occasions. Any man who thought that he knew "a good thing" would be inclined to havo a bet on