Ceaseless Morse

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 512, 15 November 1928, Page 15

Ceaseless Morse

Thousands of Telegrams

HEAVY WORK FOR OPERATORS The insistent rattle of telegraph instruments, rising almost to the noise of thunder. Telegraph boys scurrying in and out of tho office with their important little messages. Superintendents, distributors, operators and clerks all keyed to the highest pitch of excitement. That was tho scene in the Mcgrapli office of the Chief Post Office last night, when men toiled as they toil fortunately only once every three years irr receiving and sending election results. Every man was working at top speed and a wonderful combination of cheerfulness and industry permeated tho whole of tho huge office. Every individual of the telegraph organisation took just as keen an interest in tho results as the more fortunate people who were waiting outside the newspaper offices, but the telegraphists had to keep their minds on their job. Excitement had to be suppressed in the interests of duty. From 7 o’clock last evening about 120 men were hard at work in the office, and it was not until 3.30 o’clock this morning that the last messages were received and sent and the last of tho operators were able to go home. Many of them had started at 0 o’clock yesterday morning, working until 5 o’clock in the afternoon. Then back again at 7 o’clock in the evening and solid toil until 1 o’clock this morning. Arrangements for election night were made a fortnight ahead to meet the rush of business. There was not a hitch last night; the organisation was complete in every detail. Approximately 35,095 messages were handled in the Auckland Telegraph Office. Of these 10.435 were handled twice, as they had to be transmitted to other offices. In addition to these 22 progress reports came to hand. These contained anything up to 200 words each, giving details of the voting in various centres. All these messages had to be transmitted to every office in the Auckland and Hamilton districts. The flood of private messages came in to add to the volume of words which was coming and going over the frail wires throughout the length and breadth of New Zealand. Then there were 570 Press messages, all of them urgent. By a special arrangement with the telegraph department election reports were transmitted by telephone to the newspaper offices, thus making the carriage of information much quicker than usual. Throughout New Zealand all telegraph offices remained open as long as there was any demand from the public. • And after the weary work of the night the men are back at work this morning, attending fo the flood of words which is still being sent and received.