F.—l

The average value of each bureau message was 7'09d., as against 6'Bsd. in 1900-1. The number of Government telegrams forwarded was 317,590, valued at £27,507 17s. 6d., as compared with 363,684, of the value of £35,327 6s. 2d;—a decrease of 46,094 in number and £7,819 Bs. Bd. in amount. This decrease is due to the cessation of the departmental war reports which were forwarded to places not served by newspapers on the day of issue, and of the franking privileges extended to -Mayors and other local authorities in connection with the despatch of the contingents to South Africa, etc. 46,570 money-orders for £147,524 14s. 9d. were transmitted by telegraph, as against 39,311 for £127,551 12s. 6d. in 1900-I—an increase of 7,259 telegrams. The number of forwarded telegrams to every hundred letters posted in New Zealand for delivery within the colony was 7 - 96, as against 10-77 in 1900-1. The Telegraph receipts for the financial year, including telephone-exchange subscriptions, private-wire rents, &c, amounted to £207,476 4s. Bd., compared with £186,978 Is. lOid. in 1900-1, —an increase of £20,498 2s. 9sd., or 10-96 per cent. The expenditure was £212,415 11s., as compared with £195,015 Is. sd. for the previous year —an increase of £17,400. 9s. 7d., or 8-92 per cent. There were 7,469 miles of line and 21,705 miles of wire at the close of the year—an increase of 220 and 1,023 miles respectively. The net expenditure out of Public Works Fund for telegraph extension was £31,728 16s. 2d., as compared with £50,100 19s. 7d. in 1900-1. The number of private wires and subsidised lines was 365, compared with 313 in 1900-1. The amount received for rent, maintenance, &c, was £1,959 195., as against £1,861 16s. 10d. in 1900-1. The total number of telegraph and telephone offices open at the close of the year was 1,038. Of these, 240 were telegraph-offices and 798 telephone-offices. Offices opened and closed during Financial Year ended 31st March, 1902. Opened. Adam's Flat. Kawarau Bridge. Paemako. Tahekeroa. Auroa. Kerikeri. Paremata. Tamumu. Awatuna. Kimbell. Patangata. Te Arai. Awatuna East. Koiterangi. Penoarrow. Upper Kokatahi. Barkly Village. Kowai Bush. Pohokura. Waikowhai. Cave. Limestone Island. Pongaroa. Waiotapu. Cricklewood. Lower Kokatabi. Queen's Wharf. Waitapu. Elsthorpe. Mahakipawa. Rai Palls. West Melton. Penoourt. Mamaku. Eaumai. Whakapirau. Plat Greek. Mangamahu. Robinson's Bay. Whangamoa. Hautapu. Mangaramarama. Rough Ridge. Whangamomona. Hill Top. Mangawhero. St. John's. Woodstock. Huiakama. Nireaha. Saunders Road. Kaitawa. Omahu. Spririgston Railway. Kauangaroa. ' Ongarue. Sutherland's. ' Closed. Ararimu South. French Farm. Kaikorai. Tβ Kao. Canville. Heawa. Otamatea. Douglas Road. Huiakama. Otira Gorge. Opened during year, 57 ; closed 10. Telephone Exchanges. There were on the 31st March last 23 central exchanges and 35 sub-exchanges. The following is a comparative return of the telephone-exchange connections for the years 1900-1 and 1901-2 :— „ , No. of Subscribers or Connections : Exchan § c - Mar. 81, 1901. Mar. 31, 1902. Ashburton ... ... 106 ... 107 Auckland ... ... ... ... 1,263 ... 1,371 Blenheim ... ... ... ... 91 ... 98 Christchurch ... ... ... ... 1,048 ... 1,164 Akaroa ... ... ... ... ... 33 Bangiora ... ... ... ... 13 ... 13 Dunedin ... ... ... ... 1,204 ... 1,291 Balclutha ... ... ... ... 16 ... 20 Kaitangata ... ... ... ... 5 ... 5 Milton ... ... ... ... 20 ... 20 Palmerston South ... ... ... 15 ... 18 Port Chalmers ... ... ... 19 ... 20 Waikouaiti ... ... ... ... 8 ... 8 Feilding ... ... ... ... 98 ... 99 Gisborne ... ... ... ... 184 ... 215 Greymouth ... ... ... ... 114 ... 128 Hawera ... ... ... ... 105 ... 117 Eltham ... ... ... ... 12 ... 13 Manaia ... ... ... ... 14 ... 18 Otakeho ... ... ... ... ■ ■ 1 Patea ... ... ... ... ... 24

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