"TELEPHONE BELLES."

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 4983, 23 March 1895, Page 3

"TELEPHONE BELLES."

[to the editor,] Sir—Will you please afford me space for a few words in reply to "Your Own Correspondent." 1 have read with great interest the" Jottings" from Wellington that have appeared in your paper from time to time, as it has been plainly evident that the writer has had a good grip of matters that he writes about, and his letters tersely written have been free from bitterness topics have been treated, and individuals have not suffered attack. This is as it should be, and many another correspondent might irith advantage take example from "Your Own." However, the best of men fall into error sometimes, and your correspondent in tilting at the Telephono belles in yesterday's issue is not ao correct in his remarks as he usually is. To those who do not have oxperionce with tho Wellington Telephone Exchange the impression would certainly follow read-

>ng his note, that tho local Exclmngo was badly managed, and tho lady operators altogether indifferent to the requirements of the subscribers, whereas the circumstances are quite contrary to this. I use the telephone to a very groat extent, and I must admit that I am not as pationt as Job is reputed to have been, and yet I have nothing whatever to complain of in tho way of attention from the operators. The response to ring is prompt, and the reply to enquiry for number is quick and business-like, either " Engaged," or " Ring up." So I certainly incline to the opinion that the statement " Your Own " makes as to waiting five to ten minutes" for "a languid answering ring," and then no reply being rnado as to whethor his request has been heard, are certainly flights of fancy, and not to be regarded as matters of fact. Persons, when transacting business face to faco with Government officers, aro usually polite and courteous, and when making requests from them, do so in a kind manner, and yot. time after time, one hears men bawling at the Exchange operators in a positively rude and boorish way, when the remembrance that not only are they speaking to a lady but to one who is debarred by regulation, from making any retort whatever to their rude, gruff and peremptory orders, should cause them to exercise some of that considtion and courtesy that they expect in return. If" Your Own " went to tho Exchange say, between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., or between 3 and 5 p.m., and saw the moths operandi of working, lie would realise thai "languid answering" exists only in his own imagination, and he would perforce admit that the attention is firstclass ; the ladies civil and obliging to the subscribers ; anil he would for ever be only too glad to " trust himself to the tender mercies of the playful telephone girls,"—l am, etc., FAIRI'UY. Wellington, March 22nd, 1895