OVER THE WIRES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 760, 5 September 1929, Page 6

OVER THE WIRES

Mayors of Four Cities Confer TELEPHONE HISTORY MADE . Auckland to Dunedin “ h RE you ready, Auckland ?” “Auckland ready.” “Dunedin I” —“Yes.” “Ready, Christ church ?” “Yes, all ready.” Thus began a round-table telephone conference, unique in the history of New Zealand.

The Mayors of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, the presidents of the Chambers of Commerce in those four centres, Press representatives and Telegraph Department officials, conversed by telephone, after listening to an address by the Postmaster-General, the Hon. J. B. Donald, from Wellington. Clear and uninterrupted the voices came over the wire. Dunedin, more than 1,000 miles away from Auckland, was just as clear as Wellington or Christchurch. Beginning at 11 o’clock, the conference lasted for three-quarters of an hour and the Telegraph Department has every, reason to be proucl of its success. Every speaker paid a tribute to the clarity, efficiency and speed of the service and predicted the vast benefits which would result to those engaged in commerce. It was even suggested that Imperial conferences in time to come, might be conducted over the wire from the different countries. A room in the automatic telephone exchange in Wellesley Street had been specially prepared by the direction of the chief telegraph engineer, Mr. E. C. Gage, who had with him Mr. W. E. Vivian and Mr. Campbell, also of the telegraph and telephone sei'vice. Those attending the conference might hare been sitting in their own homes. Comfortable chairs had been arranged round a plush-covered table, there were pleasantly curtained windows through which blew a fresh breeze. The Mayor of Auckland, Mr. G. Baildon, took the head of the table. Mr. A. G. Lunn represented the Auckland Chamber of Commerce in the absence of Mr. PI. T. Merritt. Mr. Gage, Mr., Vivian and Mi'. Campbell and the Pressmen ranged themselves round the table, each with a set of earphones. LISTENING 1,000 MILES It seemed strange, sitting in the airy room, waiting for the conference to begin. There was the feeling that more than 1,000 miles away other men were sitting in another room doing exactly the same thing—listening to the same slight noises, wondering what the others in Christchurch or Wellington or Dunedin would say. Slender wires, carrying electric current, were holding everyone together, over almost the whole length of the Dominion. It seemed strange, too, to hear the Mayor of Dunedin remark that “we are enjoying our usual good weather,” to listen to the Deputy-Mayor of Christchurch pleading for a new post office for the City of the Plains. This morning’s conference was brought about by the installation of the carrier system, or, as it is commonly known, “wired wireless.” ( This means that the voice is amplified as it travels over the wire just as the radio is amplified by the loud speaker. Before many months are over the whole of the principal areas of New Zealand will be linked by this carrier system. MR. DONALD’S THANKS (( After Wellington had received the ready” signal from all centres, the Postmaster-General began his address and, if the truth be told his soft-speaking voice carried nearly as well as those who spoke louder. . tie thanked those who Avere attending the conference for sparing the time to take part in the unique ceremony. it was the first time in the history of the Dominion that the Mayors of the four centres, residents of the Chamber of Commerce, and pressmen had ever taken part in a conference in which each set of representatives remained in its own city. Mr. Donald spoke of the importance of such a reliable means of communication, and said that all the principal centres of New Zealand could uoav enjoy telephonic communication at any time of the day or night. At certain periods the range would be extended to Invercargill, and during the next 12 months this communication would be available to other centres of the Dominion. Mr. Donald then gave the order of procedure and the Mayors and presidents began their addresses. The Mayor of Wellington, Mr. G. A. Troup, referred to the history of the telephone and told how, as a boy in Scotland (his Amice clearly indicated

his nationality), he had scratched one end of a log Avhile his companions "listened-in” at the other end. That Avas really telephony. The log was 60 feet long, the distance from Wellington Avas 4SO miles, so in a metaphorical sense that log had been multiplied more than 40,000 times. Mr. Baildon joined Avith the others in congratulating the PostmasterGeneral and the officers of the department in the wonderful advance which had been made in the telephone service in Nerv Zealand. He took it that the system today Avas as far advanced as the automatic had advanced over the old system of manual telephones. It was really a great thing to he able to speak to men in Christchurch, Wellington and Dunedin and, if Dunedin were heard as plainly as Wellington, then it Avas a A’ery great success indeed. “I would not be surprised if, in a few years’ time, Ave are able to speak, as Ave are speaking now, to our neighbours across the seas,” continued the Mayor. COMPLAINT FROM CHRISTCHURCH

Dr. H. J. Thacker, Deputy-Mayor of Christchurch, could be distinguished very easily. “Hello, Mr. PostmasterGeneral,” he remarked and went on to say that in the past Canterbury had been a “Cinderella,” “a Lazarus at the rich man’s table,” so far as telephone service was concerned. Now, howeA'er, Christchurch Avas to get an automatic service and the avobful condition of the past Avould be relieved. Consideration of a new post office for Christchurch would

“smell like a Christmas turkey” and if the Postmaster-General would only lay a foundation stone it would “taste like one.” Dr. Thacker advocated a flat rate of 2s 6d for threeminute conversations between the four principal centres. He said that he could hear the Mayor of Auckland as though he were only two blocks away.

Mr. R. S. Black, Mayor of Dunedin, said he had spoken with Mr. Baildon at a conference in Wellington only a feAV weeks ago and his voice over the telephone sounded as though they were together in the same room. He also spoke of the wonderful advance in telephony and said that the intimacy of conversation brought about by the advanced service over long distances wou Id do away with misrepresentation and prove that rumour was indeed a “lying jade.” The wonderful benefit to commercial men Avhich Avould follow the neAV telephone service was referred to br the president of the WellingLv Chamber of Commerce, Mr. E. Salmond. TRIBUTE TO DEPARTMENT

Mr. A. G. Lunn, speaking for the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, said: “Your department is to be congratulated on its determination to perfect in every Avay, this valuable means of keeping in touch the most distant parts of the Dominion, so that It is possible for business men to hold a clear and uninterrupted conversation with a client up to 1,000 miles a\vay.” He referred to the march of scientific and mechanical development during the past century and said lie remembered the Installation of the first business telephones in London and the surprise they created. Mr. C. P. Agar, president of the Christchurch chamber, and Mr. E. A. Rosevear, Dunedin, also offered their congratulations and spoke of the great benefits of the new and clear service. After the conference, both Mr. Baildon and Mr. Lunn stated that it was one of the most interesting mornings they had ever spent. One of the most amazing features of the conference was the fact that while the conversation Avas going on, all tha intermediate systems between Auck--land and Dunedin were conducting their ordinary telephone business. The special conference did not interfere in any Avay with the telephone communication on such circuits as those between Palmerston North and Wellington, or Te Kuiti and Hamilton. This morning, for the purpose of the conference, there were seven telephone installations in each of the four centres. If an ordinary conversation were taking place, say, between Auckland and Christchurch, there Avould be only tivo, which proves that the conA'ersation Avould be even clearer than it was this morning—if that is possible.