890 



Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. \^Nov. 2, 190S. 



A very useful apparcatus is the portable tele[)hon(', fitted in a leatliei' case 

 with shouldt'i-strap, and carried on hoiseback or afoot. Tt is largely used by 

 boundnry rideis and other station employees, who can thereby promptly 

 report any urgent matter to the head ttatioti, or communicate with any part 

 of the estate, by simply attaching it to a wire-fence, ]»rovided, of course, that 

 the necessary connections have been made with this (jbje^t in view. 



1. 2. 



Portable Farm and Station Te ephone (li tor hrrse'ack; (2i for vehicle. 



From Ijloclis kindly lent by Messrs. Anthony Horderu and Sons, Sydney. 



During the year 1906, the Telephone Branch of the Postal Department 

 connected 347 farm and station telejjhones, and 554 during 1907. The total 

 numlxT connected with inland post-offices is now between 1,700 and Iji^OO. 

 In addition t) these, the number of j^rivate lines is very large. On the 

 Central- Western Slope, the Narromine, Peak Hill, and Trundle district is a 

 perfect network of telephone systems. The north-western district is also 

 well supplied, and, as an illustration of the value of this means of comnnnii- 

 cation, it may be mentioned that the postmaster operating at a .small town 

 in the Narrabri district was recently the recipient of a pr.^sentation in 

 recognition of his services in frequently apprising the pnstoralists and farmers 

 in a large circuit of the rapid rising of the rivers, caused by lains higher up 

 and over the Queensland border. The stock were quickly iemo\ed fi-oui tlir 

 low-lying lands, and considerable loss averted. It reniinls us of the more 

 serious American incident previously mentioned. 



As surely as the telef)hone is so rapidly Ix'comMig a necessary adjunct to 

 farm and station life and operations, so we may safely predict that the day 

 will come when, from clectriL-ity generated on i he ])remises oi' from sup]ily 

 stations, no*; only will farm dwellings and other buildings be lighted. l)ut 

 numerous household and field operations will be worked by the same ])ower ; 

 when the chatf-cutter and the sinving-machine will both be switched on. 



