PHONE HISTORY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 757, 2 September 1929, Page 11

PHONE HISTORY

Conference of Men Miles Apart

AUCKLAND TO DUNEDIN

Telephone history in New Zealand will be made on Thursday morning. l 11 o’clock, the Mayors and presidents of the Chambers of Commerce in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin will hold a round table conference—though they will be hundreds of miles apart. This long-distance conference will prove the amazing strides made in telephone communication in the Dominion during the past few years. On Thursday morning, at 11 o’clock, the Postmaster-General, the Hon. J. B. Donald, w ill address the conference from Wellington, and after that the various representatives will converse with each other for a few minutes. In Auckland, the Mayor (Mr. G. Baildon), the president of the Chamber of Commerce (Mr. H. T. Merritt), the chief telegraph engineer (Mr. E. C. Page) and newspaper representatives, will assemble in a room at the Wellesley Street automatic telephone exchange. Each person present will be fitted with a pair of head-phones. Similar groups will be assembled in Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. complete with head-phones and waiting for the Postmaster-General’s speech. FIRST IN HISTORY This is the first time in the history of New Zealand that such a conference has been arranged over the telephone, and it could come about only by the inauguration of the “carrier” system of telephone communication. The long-distance conference will be of great interest to business men throughout New Zealand, and it will prove how clearly telephone conversation can be carried out over the length of New Zealand. The installation of the “carrier” system, which is familiarly known as “wired wireless,” has revolutionised telephony. The volume of speeeh is not lost in transit over the wire, as it is amplified at various stations on the journey just as wireless is amplified by the loud-speaker. This lias brought the telephone voice much nearer and has made it much clearer. In addition. to these advantages the installation of “wired wireless” is much less costly than the old telephone system, and more circuits can be provided on fewer wires. BUSINESS RECORD Recently a resident of Auckland carried out a business transaction with a resident of Alexandra, in Central Otago, more than 1,000 miles apart. This was a record for Neiy Zealand. It is hoped eventually to have the whole of the Dominion connected by "carrier” system, but this will take some time. The system is in use between Auckland and Hamilton, Hamilton and Palmerston North, and Wellington and Christchurch. Gradually the whole system is being linked up and extensions will be made shortly to Hawera anu Napier and the West Coast of the South Island. This will make it possible for people in every part of the Dominion to get into touch with each other easily and quickly. NO MORE SHOUTING Thursday’s conference will prove that the days of faulty telephone communication are practically a thing of the past in New Zealand. There will be no more shouting in an attempt to be heard 900 miles away. Conversation with Dunedin, as far as telephone voices are measured, will be as near as Pukekohe. When the Postmaster-General has finished his speech on Thursday morning, the Mayors of the four cities will say “Hello,” and “How do you do,” and then the presidents of the chambers of commerce will exchange a few remarks on current events. During the conference the wires will be kept clear from Auckland to Dunedin. .