To the Editor of the "Norra-Cama Datty News."
Sir,—I intended commencing this letter in reference to the local telephone service, but on second. thought I am afraid it must be in reference to the business of, and utter disregard of, the management of ordinary every-day service.
Some three weeks ago I had occasion to have my office telephone removed to another room. The work was promptly carried out, and this much I deeply appreciate. But the Service was also removed, so completely that my telephone has been out of commission ever since. Being a patient man I politely informed the Shanghai Mutual (I wonder how that word "Mutual" crept in) Telephone Ca., Ld, on several occasions that the installation was faulty, and always got very polite but absolutely inefficient attention. The smiling mechanic, as becomes the employees of the Telephone Ca., gave the matter his "attention''—left conditions no better, no worse.
Being a busy man, and, by a sense of justice, expecting something in return for the subscription ruthlessly exacted by the Company regardless of service, I sent the Company a telegram, hoping that matters might, by some remote chance, receive more than ordinary inefficient attention. Today received a telephone message from the General Manager saying that "IT sent a competent man to examine the telephone, and he says it is quite in order, and if you cannot use it, it is entire ly your own fault."
Such a message coming from the General Manager naturally aroused my curiosity as to what the position of a subscriber is, and I sought a personal interview in the hope of getting that courtesy and attention Which was not forthcoming by less direct methods. The result of this interview was that a foreign assistant was at my office before I could return and he found that the installation was at fault (as I had persistently reported for three weeks.)
Now, Sir, how long are subscrip bers going to put up with this sort of thing? Are we to continue suffering under autocratic methods, possible only under a monopoly? If 80, the sooner that monopoly is terminated the better' for all concerned. The telephone has become an important business adjunct, and should be an indisputable necessity. The letters that have appeared in your correspondence columns from time to time indicate the inefficient operation of the local system, and the time has come when subscribers have a right to expect substantial improvement in return for the ample subscription demanded.
would remind the Shanghai Mutual (7) Telephone Ca. that inefficiency lies with them and not with the subscribers. It is useless
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.