Table No. 17— continued. Comparative Table showing the Progress of the Telegraph Department during the Financial Years ended 30th June, 1866, to 30th June, 1879; 31st March, 1880, to 31st March, 1882; and Calendar Years ended 31st December, 1882, to 31st December, 1893— continued.

F.—l

Note.—Tariff, 1890 : is. for ten words, and free address and signature up to ten words ; delayed telegrams, 6d. 1892 : For twelve words, and free address and signature, ordinary telegrams, is.; delayed, 6d. Later in 1892 the number of words in text and signature made eighteen. 1896 : First twelve words, 6d. ; each additional word, id.; address and signature paid for.

For the Financial Years ended 31st March, 1895, to the 3 1s t March, 1899.

23

Year ended Number Number of of Miles of ■ Miles of Line. Wire. c JjO S Number of Telegrams forwarded during the Year. Cost of Total Value Co3t o( - Maintenance Government 1 Business done ' Main « nance Lines, Messages. during Stations excluding the Year. Stations. Australian Cable Subsidy. Total Expenditure. Cost of Maintenance of Lines per Mile. Tariff in Operation. Private, i Governand Press, j ment. Total. Revenue from all Sources. 31st Dec, 1882 1883 : 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 I 3.974 4.°74 4.264 4,463 4,546 4,646 4,79° 4.874 5,148 5,349 5,479 5,513 9,848 i°,°37 10,474 i°,93i 11,178 ",375 11,617 11,827 12,812 13.235 13.459 13.515 264 302 33° 375 412 437 473 489 52° 573 6i5 j 640 £ s. d. 1,361,817 208,372 1,570,189 1 90,633 11 2 219,917 1.599-4°°. ■ 93.822 3 3 1.433.458 220,847 11,654,305 95,634 5 5 1,533,406 240,867 1,774,273 101,652 8 o 1,583,717 252,549 1,836,266 106,638 12 2 i>589.771 243.623 1,835,394 106,548 4 o 1,548,233 '217,630 1,765,863 106,311 11 6 I .589. I 57 213,830 11,802,987 106,462 18 4 1,734,381 226,780 1,961,161 110,696 17 8 1,746,115 222,149 |i,968, 264 117,633 15 9 1,686,064 1218,079 1,904,143 ,103,813 8 6J 1,825,646 244,045 2,069,691 112,465 15 9 £ s. d. 20,608 11 11 21,555 !9 2 20,855 19 7 24,860 9 o 27,281 4 9 30,205 11 10 23,164 13 11 24,218 9 3 26,070 12 7 24,840 5 7 24, 34 2 7 ° 28,317 7 10 / s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. 111,242 3 1 J 73,554 9 122,451 6 3 115, 378 2 5 j 73,054 4 619,210 6 6 116,490 5 o 70,036 6 2j2o,O4i 15 10 126,512 17 o 77,082 4 4:20,900 6 2 I 33.9 I 9 J 6 11 77,473 IO 7i 2I .4 o2 18 2 136,753 15 10 : 76,580 10 0:21,321 2 9 129,476 5 5 72,201 13 5123,262 1 o 130,681 7 7 75,426 9 726,007 1 5 136,767 10 3 ; 76,845 1 1027,546 2 o 142,474 1 4 j 85,658 4 1128,986 10 10 128,155 J 5 °4j 87,472 13 329,580 10 11 140,783 3 7 I 92,109 17 0129,141 6 o £ s. d. : £ s. d. 96,005 15 4 J 5 17 5 92,264 11 o i 4 16 8 90,078 2 o I 4 18 4 I 97,982 10 6 ; 4 15 9 i 98,875 8 9 : 4 15 11 97,901 12 9 4 13 9 I 95,463 14 5 5 o 1 IOI ,433 " ° ! 5 8 7 i°4,39i 3 10 , 5 13 ° 114,644 15 9 J 5 12 7 J 117,053 421580 121,251 3 05 5 9 J From 1st November, 1873, address and signature given in free. From 1st Jan., 1886, - delayed telegrams posted to addressees immediately after their receipt at offices of destination.

g Number of Telegrarr £ during the Y Number O ■ of «S g Miles of u~ Wire. Js° Private, GovernI £ and Press. ment. j I Number of Telegrams f during the Yeai forwarded r. Revenue (including Miscellaneous Receipts), j i ! Year ended Number of Miles of Line. cms Receipts). Telephone. i Value of Government Messages. Total Value of Business done daring the Year. Total Expenditure (excluding Cable Subsidy]. Remarks. Total. Telegraph. 31st March, 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 £ s. d. £ s. d. ! £ s. d. I £ s. d. 5,g6iJ 705 1,802,182 231,618 1 2,033,800 j 88,459 10 11 ; 21,552 12 10 [ 26,050 7 5 ■ 136,062 11 2 6 .245i *5>7 6 4i 743 1,899,632 224,579 ; 2,124,211 | 97,178 14 oh 25,933 12 9 i 25,843 11 11 , 148,955 18 6,284! i6,47oj 780 2,285,001 235,168 : 2,520,169 100,385 16 1 29,248 ig 5 : 23,118 2 6 152,752 18 o 6,484 18,024 2 4 2,469,415 226,818 i 2,696,233 99,798 8 10J, 36,422 6 8 . 24,504 9 8 160,725 5 i\ 6,736 18,746 878 2,717,548 243,190 \ 2,960,738 105,576 6 o 39,718 7 7 25,500 5 10 j 170,794 19 5 i i I I I I 143,665 14 o 153,484 6 8 j 165,198 13 5 173,152 16 6 Cable subsidy, 6,492 11 8 4.774 5 5 3,972 8 1 1,849 2 9 1,427 19 11