BETTER SERVICE

Hokitika Guardian, 17 May 1933, Page 3

BETTER SERVICE

IMPROVED TELEPHONE . SYSTEM

COMMUNICATION WITH W. COAST

CHRISTCHURCH. May 15.

A scheme., to improve the-, telephone service in New Zealand, sq that it will be passible for communication to- he established between , practically any tow r n in 2jTcw Zealand and any other centre is being actively, pursued by the Post, and TelegV-'ph. Department. Good ; progress is, being- with the scheme on the.. Wept Coast, mid-it, is hoped thuyas result of-the work, the risk of some, towns being; isolated Will be eliminated..

« Mr J. C. Fairbaim, District Telegraph Engineer, who has just returned i'i Uhr-'-tchurc l ’ from s ■nsit to the West Coast, stated on Saturday that a Jot' of work was being carried otit on the,- Coast -at the present tilfte'l ' ;Thej • department 'had : ji)st- : completed~th a v re-l construction of- the 1 TiUe between ; Hold-' ti'ka and -Bobs. Rusted iron wire I '' had: bee,y replaced w’th -copper wire. 'Lln&s-l »en were now working south of' RosV and would continue 'right down to the Wif.iha Gorge. The “ idea behind the; erection of copper lines, apart ’ from the fact that th e iron wire - had outjived its -usefulness,'was'"fd'’give a. better service and'provide-"tele'phohjc::csom-munication from’ any 'town to 1 ' any other in the Doiriinion- : ■ The same class of work was also being executed between Greymouth and Westport. 1\ \ additional circuit was being installed, so tbit Weotpoi’t was not likely to be isolated as it was on some occasions at the present time, through trees coming down in the,Duller Gorge. Westport and Kara men had had wireless sets to fall back on when the telephone service was interrupted, but the Department was making sure that they would alway s have telephonic communication in the future. When the work wag completed the <vo centres mentioned would b e served both by the telephone and telegraph, instead of having only one telepli&Hfej circuit ias at present.. ;