23

F.—l

. PRESS RATES. From the Ist April, 1924, the aggregate number of words of Press news permitted to be received by evening newspapers on the day of publication at schedule rate of Is. 6d. per. 100 words or fraction thereof was increased from 1,500 to 2,000. TELEGRAPH AMD TOLL TRAFFIC. The figures which follow show the position in regard to telegraph and telephone traffic, fuller information is contained in Table 11.

Total of all Classes of Message and Value thereof.

Schedule op Paid Telegrams, Cable Messages, and Toll Communications. Number. Va^ ue - Ordinary.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,827,745 493.288 Urgent .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 292,885 30.145 Press .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 461,875 63.601 Night-letter .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 215,473 10,535 Toll communications .. .. .. .. .. ..8,612,412 344,393 15,410,390 941,962 Less net amount paid to other Administrations on cable and radio messages .. 192,862 Net total for paid messages of all codes, 1924-25 .. .. .. 15,410,390 749,100 Net total for paid messages of all codes, 1923-24 . . .. .. 14,407,269 700,329 Table showing Use by the Public of Telegraph and Toll Services. 1924-25. 1923-24. Number of ordinary telegrams sent per unit of population .. .. . . 4-43 4-38 Number of toll communications per unit of population . . .. . . 6-54 5-81 Number of paid messages, telegrams, or toll communications per unit of population .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 11-71 10-38 Number of paid telegrams for every 100 letters posted .. .. .. 5-05 5-08 TELEGRAPH AND TOLL-LINE SYSTEMS. Extensions. The machine-printing telegraph system having increased the traffic-carrying capacity of the circuits over which it is operated, and thus obviated the necessity for additional telegraph circuits that would otherwise have been necessary, has enabled the Department to concentrate on the extension of the toll-line system, and much has been done in this direction during the year by rearranging existing circuits and erecting new lines. These improvements, together with the works now authorized, will, it is hoped, relieve to a great extent much of the present congestion on the trunk toll lines. With a view to providing additional toll circuits between Auckland and Kaitaia, and generally improving the telephone facilities in the North Auckland district, a comprehensive scheme of reconstruction and rearrangement of circuits was undertaken during the year, and the work has been advanced to such a stage that within a few months Kaitaia and Kaikohe will be in direct communication with Auckland. New circuits will also be available between Auckland and Whangarei, and between Whangarei and Dargaville. Effect of Extension of High-tension Lines. The extension of high-tension circuits of power-lines throughout the Dominion has had a farreaching effect on the telegraph and telephone lines, and as a consequence has necessitated during the year the conversion to metallic circuit working of a number of earth-working exchange systems and toll lines. In addition to this, sections of many pole lines have been removed, and a great deal of other protective work has been done. MACHINE-PRINTING TELEGRAPHS. The multiplex system of telegraphy was advanced a further stage during the year by the installation, on the J 2th June, of machine-printing instruments at Dunedin for working terminal with Christchurch. Retransmitters were later installed at Wellington and Christchurch to enable Dunedin to work direct with Auckland and Wellington respectively, and also to provide for full intercommunication between the four chief cities by means of the machine-printing system,

1924-25. I 1923-24. Increase. ' Decrease. In ™ | Decve^ per uent. j per Cent. Number .. .. 15,471,950 14,476,866 995,084- .. 6-873 Value .. .. £753,520 1 £705,259 £48,261 .. 6-843