Page 818 - Reading Mercury

the patients. To raise further funds for the same purpose, a bring-and-buy sale was
held at the hospital on Wednesday.

MAYOR ACTS AS TELEPHONE OPERATOR
Just what happens when a subscriber lifts the telephone receiver was demonstrated
to members of the public this week, when Wokingham Post Office staff held an
“at home” exhibition. Among the members of the first party to visit the telephone
exchange were the Mayor and Mayoress of Wokingham (Cllr. and Mrs. W. J. Willey).
Wearing headphones and a mouth-piece, the Mayor took charge of one board, and,
guided by the supervisor (Miss E.A. Fowler), he received a call for a Reading number.
The connection was made satisfactorily.
The Head Postmaster (Mr. B.C. Duncombe) and members of the staff explained the
intricacies of the telephone switchboard, including the systems used to deal with
“999” calls.
Visitors were told that during an average week the Wokingham switchboard deals
with 17,000 calls, 10,000 of which are incoming. “We feel it is a very good thing for
people to come along and learn just what does happen when they make a call,” Mr.
Duncombe stated. “It makes for better understanding on both sides.”
Just what pains are taken to please subscribers are well illustrated by a small disc
placed over one local number which mentioned that the subscriber wished the ringing
tone to be of a certain pitch and frequency. “This is just part of our everyday service,”
explained a member of the staff.
At present there are 1,027 direct subscribers to the Wokingham exchange, and there
is a waiting list of 134. Since 1945, the engineers have fitted 483 new lines, including
200 removals from one house to another.

th
Sat 17 Nov
AN INDUSTRIES EXHIBITION
Wokingham’s First Effort Successful
Ancient crafts and modern industrial methods were demonstrated at the Wokingham
Industries Exhibition, which opened at the Drill Hall on Wednesday. Fourteen stands
representing the various crafts and industries in the town and district were on view to
the public, the exhibition having been organised by the Chamber of Trade and local
firms.
Declaring the exhibition open, the Mayor (Cllr. W.J. Willey) said it was launched
by the organisers with some trepidation and a spirit of adventure. “I consider it to be a
Miniature South Bank Exhibition, and it is something new which would do justice to
many towns larger than Wokingham.”
Cllr. Willey, who was accompanied by Mrs. Willey, welcomed Col. C.D. Burnell
(chairman of Wokingham R.D.C.) and Mrs. Burnell, and Mr. D.A. Slyfield (chairman
of East Hampstead R.D.C.). The Mayor spoke of the large amount of export work
carried out by local firms, and said they exported goods to over 50 foreign countries,
including America, all the colonies and Finland. He congratulated the organisers. Mr.
Tanner and Mr. Perkins and their committee, and said, ”There is something really
worthwhile.”
In one corner of the hall there were miniature examples of wrought ironwork made
by Mr. F.W. Prater, including five baskets, dog grates and wrought-iron entrance
gates. Wokingham Plastics demonstrated one of the most modern industries and
showed pressurised fighter canopies and windows. On view was one of the largest
double-skin pressurised canopies in production—that being used for the Supermarine

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