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1913. NEW ZEALAND.

POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT (REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR 1912-13.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of Hit Excellency.

General Post Office, Wellington, 22nd July, 1913. Mv Lord. — I have the honour to submit to Your Excellency the Report of the Post and Telegraph Department fur the pear 1**12 13, and in doing so to offer the following remarks:— The business of the Department has been satisfactory, the excess of receipts over expenditure bein_r no less than £98,554. The most outstanding feature of the year's worthas been the extension of the radio-telegraphic system. Two low-power stations at Wellington and Auckland respectively are in successful operation, and have proved of great convenience, particularly in connection with the shipping. One high-power station at Awanui and another at Awarua are completed, and a low-power station at Chatham Islands is approaching completion. Tt is confidently anticipated that these stations will meet the requirements of navigation. A tender fur automatic-telephone exchanges has just, been accepted. The expenditure will be considerable, but the ultimate saving in working-expenses and fthe increased convenience to the public should compensate for the additional outlay. A trunk telephone-wire for bureau communications between Wellington and Auckland has been erected, with the most satisfactory results. There has been a marked increase in the number of paid telegrams, whilst the number of bureau messages has I by over 16 per cent. The system of deferred cable messages, introduced at the beginning of 1912, has been largely availed of. as have also week-end cable messages to the United Kingdom. Each of these innovations seems to have me1 a public want. In November. 1912, the business of the Department in Wellington was transferred to the new General Post Office. The recently erected chief post-office building in Auckland was also brought into use in the same month. During the year, Mr. D. Robertson. I.S.O., who assumed the position of Secretary to the Department in 1907. was appointed Public Service Commissioner. Matters of detail will be found at length in the report and tables which follow. T have the honour to be. My Lord, Your obedient servant, R. Hkaton Rhodes, Postmaster-General. His Excellency the Governor, Wellington. 1—F. 1.