>In NZ the number is 111 (911 also works) - but we have a reversed
>pulse dial allocation - so the actual pulse train is the same as 999
>IIRC. (Or very close).

Correct, and the reason that number is chosen is because it is the most 
(almost, only 0 has more pulses) number of pulses on the dial, so shorting 
phone lines are less likely to 'pulse' the number properly, and also because 
in a public phone box the dial is disabled until coins get put in the slot - 
unless the digit is a 0 or 1 (in NZ, 9 in UK) where the dial has to go 
'right around' and pushes a switch which allows the number to dial.

There is of course the 'schoolboy trick' of dialling the number by pulsing 
the hook. I understand that the radio NZ engineers were provided with a 
number to call when setting up outside broadcasts, which consisted of a 
couple of digits where only one or two pulses were required to dial them, 
and then the rest of the number was 1s and 0s. This meant it was easy for 
them to call from a public phone if they were having problems setting up the 
OB line, and couldn't communicate over that. I assume that dialling 0 or 1 
as the last digit must also turn on the microphone, i.e. do the equivalent 
of pushing 'button A' which drops the money into the cash box so it cannot 
be returned. 

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