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WIRELESS RECEIVING - STATION LICENSE: INSTALLATIONS IN HOSPITALS AND SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS. It has been arranged to permit one license fee to cover all radio receiving-sets in any hospital, home, and similar institution which are installed for the benefit of patients or inmates. AMATEUR RADIO RECEIVING - STATION LICENSES : FORM OF APPLICATION. Applicants for amateur radio receiving-station licenses are no longer required to furnish information regarding the date and place of birth. TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE SERVICES. PUBLICATION OF LISTS OF SUBSCRIBERS TO TELEPHONE EXCHANGES. By Order in Council dated the 6th August, 1928, an addition was made to the Telephone Regulations providing that, except with the authority of the Minister of Telegraphs, no person shall—(a) Publish any list of subscribers to the telephone with the appropriate telephone numbers ; or (b) supply or use any cover or other device which has the effect of obscuring any advertisement in or on any official telephone directory or other official publication of the Department. Any person committing a breach of this regulation is liable to a fine not exceeding £50. COMMERCE TRAIN : TELEPHONE FACILITIES. Telephone facilities were provided on the " commerce train " which traversed part of the North Island in October, 1928. A telephone-office was opened for business on the train, and this was connected with the departmental system at the various stopping-places. The Railway Department, at whose request the facilities were given, bore the cost of establishing the service. It also provided suitable accommodation and an officer to conduct the business. "WEATHER FORECASTS : FURNISHING OF INFORMATION FREE OF CHARGE. Offices which receive the daily weather-forecast telegram are now permitted to furnish meteorological information free of charge to telephone-exchange subscribers or private-telephone-line owners making occasional inquiries on the subject. The regulation charge now applies only in those cases in which information regarding weather conditions is furnished regularly. INSTALLATION OF MISCELLANEOUS TELEPHONE EQUIPMENT. In regard to the installation charge and annual rate set out in the Telephone Regulations in respect of battery-gong, annunciator-drop, and battery, it was represented to the Department that gongs are unsuitable for some establishments, and that subscribers have recourse to the use of sirens, horns, &c. As the Department is not in a position to supply the various devices required to meet special conditions, it has been decided to provide for the supply and maintenance of an annunciatordrop only and to permit subscribers to make their own arrangements, subject to departmental approval, for the supply and maintenance of the particular device and power required. DEVELOPMENT OF TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE SYSTEMS. The steady expansion and growth of the local-exchange systems which characterized telephone development in New Zealand during recent years has been continued, the number of new connections (main stations) being 12,119, compared with an average of 12,112 per year during the preceding five years. Taking into consideration telephones of all kinds relinquished as well as new telephone stations connected, 8,196 additional telephones were put into service, making the total number at the end of the year 147,936. If to this number are added the telephones (4,605) connected with toll stations and non-departmental exchanges, the number of telephones in service on the 31st March, 1929, was 152,541, which represents 10-3 telephones for every 100 of the population, a telephone density exceeded only by the United States of America and Canada. One of the factors contributing to the steady progress of the local-exchange systems during the year was the development which took place in intercommunicating systeifis in business houses, the increase for the year in that and other classes of extension stations being 7-7 per cent., as compared with an increase of 4-9 per cent, in subscribers' main stations. The local intercommunicating system in most popular demand during the year was the key-box interphone type, large numbers of which were installed in business establishments where the requirements in intercommunicating facilities did not exceed twenty positions. Next in order of demand were private branch exchanges of the full automatic type with capacities varying from twenty intercommunicating stations upwards. Local intercommunicating systems are likely to become an integral part of the telephone facilities of all modern business establishments in future, and the intensive development that will probably take place in that respect during the next few years will more than offset any slackening in the rate of expansion in main stations or trunk lines. The cost of the year's operations in extending telephone - exchange systems throughout the Dominion for the purpose of connecting new subscribers and making provision for future growth amounted to £689,073. The year's operations in this respect included the opening of new exchanges at Wellsford, Towai, Waimamaku, Mangapai, Kirikopuni, and Tokanui; the installation at thirty-seven exchanges of additional switching equipment for 3,940 exclusive lines and 200 party lines ; the establishment of sixty-six new public call offices (coin-in-the-slot telephones); the laying of 2,772 chains