LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONING.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 191, 20 August 1901, Page 2

LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONING.

VERBAL LOVE MESSAGES FROM AUCKLAND TO WELLINGTON.

INTERESTING CHATS. (Special to Times.) Auckland, last night.

During the stillness J Sunday evening advantage was tab t by a number of Aucklanders, inclufi ag a Uisbornite, to indulge in conversation b.v telephone with Wellington, Naphr, and Gisborne. At the first attempt difficulty was experienced in being heard on the Wellington wires. Eventually by talking loudly aud remainini’ in a still position the voices soon became audible, and many conversations from Auckland were indulged in with people in the Empire City. Many love messages to Musp,rove's Grand Opera girls, who became so popular in Auckland, and are now at Wellington, were given by Auckland boys at this end. One of the leading lady artists of the company remarked through the machine that the production of Faust at Napier recently was to them too funny for words. “Beingperehed around the stage like chair warmers’ we could not sit still,” continued tbe theatrical lady. “We felt like acting the whole time. The Wellington people arc not =o mad on grand opera as Auckland. Wo are not having the houses Auckland honored us with.” These were the remarks that could be hoard plainly from Wellington last evening by one of Harry Musgrove’s artists who possesses a beautiful contralto voice. Napier then con-

nected enquiring Aucklanders with the Masonic Hotel, Gisborne. Mr Harding answered the telephone. His familiar voice was quite recognisable to an oxGisbornite present; also that of the Gis-

borno Times staff. The hearing on this occasion was much more audible than when the Gisborno Times gained a journalistic triumph throughout the colony in the telephoning of the tragic news of the Grand Hotel fatality recently in the early hours of the morning, and which description appeared in that morning’s Gisborne Times. Auckland then rang up Scrgt. Pitt, an old Gisborne boy now at Wellington. He spoke in Maori. As a matter of fact the Maori was hoard to greater advantage than the English. There is no hissing sound in Maori as in the case in English, and this made the voice sound more fluent. It is easier to' be heard on the Gisborne wire than that ofWellington, the latter having six hundred miles of wire from Auckland to Wellington. This being so necessitates a great deal of shouting for ono to be heard.