RICH TELEPHONE GIRLS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9424, 21 April 1909, Page 6

RICH TELEPHONE GIRLS.

The very last act and epilogue of the great fire at the Central Telephone Office of Gutenberg is closed by an announcement that M.£Simyan, Under-Secretary of Posts and Telegraphs, declines to pay any more damages to the female operators. For mpnths the newspapers were filled with complaints from the unhappy subscribers, ah?T these were supplemented by bills sent in by the “demoiselles.’ ’ It was true that the cloakroom had not been horned, bnfc its contents had been spoiled by smoke and water, and the administration at first made no difficulties abont replacing cloaks and hats that had been mined by the fire or the firemen. The stream of claims, however, continued undiminisbed in number, and increased in valce. One had lest a hat worth £2; a second a costly far that had been a birthday present from some uncle or “Aunt Lily.” As if by chance, it appearecTthafc sable, otter, and bine fox skins were the usual accoutrements of the female staff of Gutenberg.' __ The Departmeat grew suspicions, "and asked for vouchers and for the original bills, but, alas, these seemed generally to have perished likewise in the'fire. Finally, M. Simyan, whose patience is proverbial, , grew angry. A few more ostrich plumes and another sable boa or two threatened to necessitate a recourse to M. Oaillanx for extja credits. The result is that he has drawn the pursestrings tight; thrust the last batch of claims into the deepest of his pigeon-holes, and has declared that there shall be no more payments. Those who have claimed in time are smiling, and the “foolish virgins” who have knocked too late are weeping behind the curtain over this last act of the tragedy of Gutenberg.