F.—l

XXII

Miles of Miles of Poles. Wire. For Railway Department— Frankton Junction-Ruakura ... .. ... ... 0£ 4-| Auckland-Ellerslie Railway ... .*.. ... ... ... 7 Paeroa Railway-station to Post-office ... .., ... Of Of Rangiriri Railway-station ... ... .... ... 1 1 ' Helensville-Waitakerei ... ... ... ... ... 19 Te Aroha Railway to Post-office ... ... ... ... OJ OJ Thames Railway-station to Frankton Junction ... ... 68 Ellerslie Railway blocks ... ... ... ... ... 3-J-For Public Works Department— Otorohanga-Porootarao ... ..... ... ... 1 1 Total ... ... ... ... ... 85 324£ The new wire from Auckland to Mahoenui, which continues thence to New Plymouth, gives an alternate route between Auckland and Wellington, and direct communication between Auckland and the New Plymouth district. Maintenance. The following sections have been overhauled and repaired, the aggregate length being 246 miles: Hamilton to Cambridge and Pirongia; Kawakawa to Rawene and branches; Maketu to Rotorua ; Waipu to Maungaturoto ; Auckland to Howick ; Auckland to Drury ; Mercer to Rangiriri ; Thames to Morrinsville and Frankton Junction. Diversions on the main line at Kawakawa and at Whangarei have been made, involving the removal and re-erection of 35 poles. Between Auckland and Rangiriri, on the Waikato line, the repairs and renewals have been considerable, all decayed and weak poles having been removed and replaced by wooden poles of larger dimensions or by iron poles. All angles have been renewed. In the Thames River 700 yards of three-core submarine cable were laid to replace the old cable, which had failed. The following sections, of a total length of 230 miles, are being overhauled and repaired: Cape Maria van Diemen to Awanui; Coromandel to Tairua; Hamilton to Raglan and Kawhia; Rangiriri to Hamilton ; Drury to Mercer. Offices. The Kawakawa and Pirongia offices have been, and the Taupo building is now being, painted. The whole of that portion of the Auckland Post-office building used for telegraph and exchange purposes has been painted and well renovated. A number of offices has been rewired and fitted with new test-boards, and a number of others supplied with bridging bell telephones in place of the old-type instruments. Eight new offices have been opened for railway business only—three on the Morse system and five with bridging bell telephones. A railway cadets' learning gallery has been fitted up at the Auckland Railway-station. Telephone Exchanges. A branching multiple switchboard was erected in a new exchange-room, and came into use on the 12th November last A power-room for the gas-engine, dynamo, magnetos, and accumulators was built. The arrangements are convenient; everything has worked smoothly, and the new system has given great satisfaction. The number of subscribers is 1,041, a slight increase on the previous year. 600 new-type telephones have been used to replace the old ones. Thames. Xne exenange is m good order. The number of subscribers does not vary much, being now 80, as compared with 83 last year, Wellington. Construction. The following extensions of lines and wires were completed during the year:— Miles of Miles of ■ -" - Poles. Wire. Ormond to Te Karaka and Whatatutu ... ... ... 15f 15f New Plymouth to Mahoenui ... ... ... ... 72 135 Wanganui to New Plymouth ..: .. ... .. ... 104 Bell Block to Lepperton... ... ... ... ... 1 6f Bona to Muritai ... ... ... ... "... 0J 0-| Worser Bay to Seatoun ... ... ... ... ... 0J 0£ Feilding Racecourse ...' ... ... ... .. ... 1 Cunningham's ... ... ... ... ... ... 0* 0J Dannevirke to Takapau ... ... ... ... .. ... 21 Dreyerton 100 p... ... ... ... ... .. ... 0£ For-Railway Department— '■ Petone to Upper Hutt (along railway) ... ... ... 13 13 Upper Hutt to Featherston, on railway-line vid Summit ... ... 24 Woodville to Ngawapurua ... ... ... ... 2>\ 4 Wangaehu to Aramoho Junction ... ... ... 15 15 Wanganui semaphore circuit ..." ... ... ... 0* 1 New Plymouth Railway to Stationmaster's house... ... 0* Total ... .., , 122f 342*