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orders for other countries which the manufacturers of these telephones have to meet, delivery of the initial order will riot be made in New Zealand before about December next. 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 £670,381. The year's operations in this respect included the opening of new exchanges at Kerikeri and Mossburn ; the installation at thirty-eight exchanges of additional switching equipment for 6,636 exclusive lines and 504 party lines ; the establishment of seventy new public call offices (coin-in-the-slot telephones) ; the laying of 1,242 chains of underground ducts and 7,884 chains of underground cable containing 26,768 miles of wire ; the erection of 2,837 chains of overhead cable containing 3,731 miles of wire ; and the erection of 782 miles of pole-line and 7,837 miles of open aerial wire. In addition, £49,041 was expended in renewing or replacing plant and equipment which had become worn out, inadequate, or obsolete. EXTENSIONS TO CABLING AND SWITCHING SYSTEMS. The table below shows the exchanges at which extensions to the cabling and switching systems were completed during the year, as well as particulars of the extensions made.

Additions to Cabling Plant. Additions to Switching Equipment. Name of Exchange. Underground Underground Overhead . w . Exclusive Party-line Equipment. Ducts Cable Cable Line added. added. added. • Equipment, Tw0 . palty . j Four-party. Auckland.Engineering District— Chains. Chains. Chains. Miles. Units Units. Units. Auckland .. .. .. 624 842} 58 3,503 Avondale .. .. .. .. 23} .. 14£ Cambridge .. .. .. 9 .. 3 j .. j Clevedon .. .. .. .. 3 .. 2 Coromandel .. .. .. .. .. .. 50 Hamilton .. .. .. .. 11 .. 10 [ Henderson .. .. .. 56J 259 278 .. ! Huntly .. .. .. .. 8| .. 7} .... Kaeo .. .. .. .. 161 .. 152J Kakahi .. .. .. .. 10 .. 6\ .. Kaikohe .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 50 Katikati .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 50 .. ; Kohukohu.. .. .. .. 3|- .. Of- .. ! Kumeu .. .. .. .. .. 8J 5 .. j Mamaku .. .. .. .. 17J .. 24 Mangere .. .. .. .. 53£ 2} 272J Manurewa .. .. .. 26 .. 30 Matamata .. .. .. 433J .. 414J Matiere .. .. .. .. 16 .. 10 Mercer .. .. .. .. 2J .. 2} 10 Mokauiti .. .. .. .. 4 .. 2£ Morrinsville .. .. .. 9} .. 17J Mount Eden .. .. .. .. .. .. 600 100 Ngaruawahia .. .. .. 5f .. 4} .. j Onehunga .. .. .. .. .. . . .. 200 Otahuhu .. .. .. .. .. 5} Otorobanga .. .. .. 2 j .. 1J Paeroa .. .. .. 5 29lf .. 507 100 .. I Papakura .. .. .. .. 188} .. 163} 100 Patumahoe .. .. .. 87J .. 109J .. .. I Piopio .. .. .. .. 38 .. 23} .. j Ponsonby .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 240 100 ! Pukekohe .. .. .. .. 195} .. 296} Putaruru .. .. .. .. 7 .. 4J Raglan .. .. .. .. 2 .. 1J .. j Remuera .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 800 100 I Rotorua .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 100 . . I St. Heliers.. .. .. .. 28 130} 198J .. .. I Taneatua .. .. .. .. 20J .. 15} Te Awamutu .. .. .. .. .. .. 50 Te Aroha .. .. .. .. 182} 0| 228 Te Kauwbata .. .. .. 4 45 30J Tirau .. .. .. .. 66 .. 41 £ Tuakau .. .. .. .. 9J .. 17} Waharoa .. .. .. .. 7J .. 5 Waimamaku .. .. .. 1| .. 0} Waimana .. .. .. .. 37 .. 24 20 W&imauku .. .. .. 25} .. 31} Waiuku .. .. .. .. 30 .. 40J Warkworth .. .. .. .. .. .. 50 .. Whakapara .. .. .. 0| .. 0} Whangarei .. .. 100 122J 730J