XXVII

F.—l

The number of cable messages received in New Zealand during 1907, exclusive of Press, was as follows :— Pacific. International. Australia. 1907 ... ... ... 17,134 52,696 1906 ... ... ... 17,071 50,145 Increase 63 Increase 2,551 Extension. International. Australia. 1907 ... ... ... 11,020 23,273 1906 ... ... ... 8,870 19,482 Increase 2,150 Increase 3,791 The forwarded and received cable Press business for the ten years ended the 31st December, 1907, was : —

TELEPHONE EXCHANGES. Eight new exchanges were opened and one closed during the year, and the number of subscribers increased by 2,999. The total number of exchanges now is 112, made up of 30 central and 82 sub-exchanges. The total number of connections is 23,881, compared with 17,403 in 1907. They may be classified as follows : Paying, 18,091 ; free, 337 ; bureaux, 1,974 ; extensions, 3,479. New connections numbered 4,023, and those given up 1,024. The increase in subscribers is equal to 17-23 per cent. Connections on extension lines, not hitherto counted, are this year included, in accordance with the practice of almost all other countries. - On the 31st March, 1908, there were 1,039 miles of telephone line and 16,816 miles of wire. The following is a comparative return of telephone-exchange connections for the years 1907-8 and 1906-7 :— „ , Number of Subscribers or Connections : iixcuange. Maroh 31, 1908. March 31, 1907. Ashburton ... ... ... ... 197 ... 161 Auckland ... ... ... ... 3,184 ... 2,224 Cambridge ... ... ... ... 61 ... 50 Devonport ... ... ... ... 48 ... 42 Onehunga ... ... ... ... 28 ... 28 Blenheim ... ... ... ... 261 ... 198 Picton ... ... ... ... 70 ... 50 Christchurch ... ... ... ... 2,978 ... 2,162 Akaroa ... ... ... ... 41 ... 35 Cust ... ... . ... ... 15 ... 8 Doyleston ... ... ... ... 11 ... 7 Duvauchelle ... ... ... 16 ... 7 Kaiapoi ... ... ... ... 41 Leeston ... . ... ... ... VK ... 12 Lincoln ... ... ... ... 10 ... 5 Little Eiver... ... ... ... 16 ... 9 Lyttelton ... ... ... ... 19 ... 18 Bangiora ... ... ... ... 27 ... 18

Forward< id, Received. Year. Number of Number of Value. Messages. Words. Value. Messages. Words. 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1,154 1,570 1,034 1,420 1,830 1,595 1,551 2,226 1,815 1,874 133,342 182,066 139,295 148,400 202,968 159,732 161,094 181,196 186,128 135,325 £ s. d. 907 7 0 3,599 1,800 10 4 ! 3,822 1,457 4 5 4,014 2,718 12 0 3,989 1,772 8 4 ! 4,443 1,235 11 1 ' 5,636 1,147 8 8 4,488 1,290 9 3 4,548 1,290 7 9 i 4,061 1,003 5 5 4,204 282,882 298,218 333,300 351,291 396,438 425,824 392,888 398,878 394,337 405,498 £ s. d. 1,599 7 0 1,690 12 4 1,878 9 1 1,967 19 3 2,200 10 6 2,333 10 2 2,169 1 3 2,254 18 5 2,163 17 0 2,423 4 11