BUSY WIRES.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 January 1920, Page 5

BUSY WIRES.

WORK AT THE POST OFFICE. During the Christmas season of 1919 the telegraph work at New Plymouth showed a considerable increase over past years, and the telegraph staff was kept very busy and worked overtime. On Christmas Eve the telegraph wort put through was tremendous, being far ahead of previous years. The number messages forwarded was over 1300, and about the same number were received. This was easily a record over previous years and almost four times as much as on average days throughout the year.

The most phenomenal increase was in transmitting, i.e., work passed through the New Plymouth office, These numbered about 2400, being more than double the amount handled the previous Christmas Eve. Owing to the recent arrangement of closing at midnight there was a tremendous number of un. sent messages left over to 8 o'clock on Christmas morning, when the office reopened. A small Btaff of operators was kept very busy .all Christmas day sending off the accumulated Work Which was cleared at 9.30 p.m. Had the offices kept open till clear it is certain that Christmas day would hare been well advanced before getting clear. The heavy telegraph traffic was in evidence all over New Zealand, and the traffic haa kept up very busy right up to New Year.