F.—l

XXXII

Maintenance. The lines have not been subject to many interruptions during the year. A large amount of overhauling has been done, the principal sections overhauled being:— Taupo-Atiamuri line, on which spans were shortened, new poles erected in places, and deviations made to bring the line on to the road at several points. The Cape Maria van Diemen line was thoroughly overhauled, 27 miles of No. 8 iron wire being substituted for the same length of No. 14 copper wire, which was found to break frequently. The Tauranga - Katikati-Athenree line was rebuilt. A large number of new poles was used, the majority of the original poles'being past further use. A total of 36 miles was rebuilt and is now in firsr-class order The Waipu-Dargaville line, which has been a source of much trouble for many years, is being rebuilt, and advantage taken of the opportunity to rearrange the circuits. The Maungaturoto Gorge, through which the old line runs, is very unsuitable for the erection of telegraph wires, and is being abandoned, but the telephone wire is being retained. To meet the extensions authorised, a new line is being erected between Waipu and Paparoa along a good road. Along this route No. 2 North Morse wire, and one telephone wire, will run. The erection of the line (17 miles) will also save the erection of 8 miles of new line to connect Mareretu. Telephone Exchanges. A new exchange was opened at Te Aroha, making the total number of exchanges open in the district 11. Four more (Opotiki, Takapuna, Tauranga, and Te Awamutu) will shortly be opened. A very substantial increase in the ntimber of subscribers to most of the exchanges took place. The connections in the Auckland exchange totalled 2,551, an increase of 327 for the year. Of these, 2,434 are paying, 27 are free, and 90 are bureau connections. There are also 633 extension telephones, an increase of 113 for the year ; making a total of 3,184 telephones in use on this exchange, the increase over those in use last year being 440. An addition has been made to the switchboard, which now has accommodation for 3,100 subscribers. The connections to the exchange involve the use of 120 miles 40 chains of poles and 2,617 miles 79 chains of wire. Of the latter, 2,179 miles 68 chains are in metallic cables, and 438 miles 11 chains are open aerial wire. In addition to the metallic-circuit wires in use, there are erected 2,366 milt s 40 chains of spare wires in cables ; some of these are to be used to convert present earth circuits to metallic, and the balance is to provide for future requirements. Of aerial wire, 379 miles 62 chains have been replaced by double wire in leaden metallic cables during the year. The aerial wire replaced by metallic cables will be dismantled. Connections made metallically total 1,653. The Cambridge exchange was fitted with a 100-number annunciator. The exchange at Hamilton is to be fitted with new annunciators. The total number of connections on all exchanges in the district is 3,422, an increase of 547 during the year. Of these, 3,170 are paying, 40 are free, and 212 are bureau connections. There are also 655 extension telephones in the district, making the total number of telephones in use 4,077, an increase of 663. The length of lines in the district is 166 miles 77 chains, and of wire in use 2,953 miles 75 chains, exclusive of 82 miles 63 chains of dead wire, and 2,366 miles 40 chains of spare wiirs in metallic cables. Offices. Thirty-six new offices were opened during the year. The number in the district at the end of the year was 375, comprising 50 Morse and 325 telephone offices. New offices at Cambridge, Dcvonport, and Waipu were occupied. The operating-room at Hamilton was moved upstairs. The telephone at Opua was placed in a sound-proof box. At Te Aroha a quadruplex translator set was fitted. A quadruplex was fitted on the Tauranga-Opotiki wire at Tauranga, with a quadruplex repeater at Whakatane and a duplex at Opotiki. At Auckland a quadruplex was fitted, with a quadruplex repeater at Whangarei. A duplex set at Mangonuijwas fitted on No. 3. Duplex sets were fitted at Auckland and Hamilton on the metallic circuit between those places. Wellington District. Construction. The following lines and wires have been erected during the year : — Poles. Wire. M. eh. M. oh. Aramoho-Eastown, new wire .. .. .. .. .. 0 40 Foxton-Moutoa, new line .. .. .. ..30 60 Greytown-Matarawa, new line .. .. .. ..30 30 Greytown - Morrison's Bush, new line .. .. ..30 30 Hopelands, new line '.. .. .. .. 0 10 0 10 Kelburne, new wire .. .. .. .. .... 1 45 Makuri-Coonoor, new line.. .. .. .. 1.0 40 10 40 Mangamaire-Marima, new line ~ .. .. .. 3 40 3 40