F.—l

46

The manner in which the exchanges are classified, the number of exchanges in each class, and the number of stations connected therewith on the 31st March, 1930, are shown in the following table :• —

In addition to the stations shown in the preceding table there were 4,018 stations connected by private telephone-lines directly or indirectly with departmental toll stations, and 282 stations not connected in any way with the departmental system, making a grand total of 161,323 telephone-stations on the 31st March, 1930. The following table shows the number of telephone-stations in each engineering district on the 31st March, 1929 and 1930, respectively, and the percentage of increase in each case : — i : ;

The number of telephone stations (main and extension) connected with each of the fourteen principal exchanges on the 31st March, 1930, was —Auckland, 20,413 ; Wellington, 19,505 ; Christchurch, 12,311 ; Dunedin, 8,367 ; Wanganui, 3,794 ; Palmerston North, 3,294 ; Hamilton, 3,126 ; Invercargill, 2,838; Napier, 2,767 ; G-isborne, 2,759 ; Hastings, 2,671 ; Timaru, 2,129 ; New Plymouth, 2,127 ; Masterton, 2,014. The number of party and rural lines on the 31st March, 1930, was 10,515 to which were connected 42,708 main stations —an increase of 249 and 2,125 respectively on the figures for the previous year.

Class I. Class II. Class III. Exchanges or Net- Exchanges or Net- Exchanges or Networks observing works observing works observing Class IV. Continuous Continuous Continuous Exchanges Attendance and Attendance and Attendance and or Networks Dominion having more than having 1,001 to having 201 to where the Totals. 3,500 Paying 3,500 Paying 1,000 Paying Attendance Subscribers' Main Subscribers' Main Subscribers' Main is restricted. Stations con- Stations con- Stations connected therewith, nected therewith, nected therewith. Subscribers' main stations .. 43,790 26,013 28,871 28,089 126,763 Toll and service stations .. 680 525 911 1,830 3,946 Public call offices .. .. 499 112 61 7 679 Extension stations — 8,699 1,957 636 101 11,393 P.B.X 7,583 3,589 2,099 971 14,242 Ordinary Telephone-stations: Class totals.. 61,251 32,196 32,578 30,998 157,023 Number of exchanges in each class 4 13 59 273 349 Percentage of new connections 38 17 23 22 made with each class of exchange during the year

Number of Telephone Stations on 31st March, Engineering District. 1929. 1930. p eJ ,_ ; 1 j centage of Main Extension m , Main Extension rr ,, , T Stations. Stations. 0 a 1 Stations. ! Stations. a • ncrease. | Auckland .. .. 37,631 6,046 43,677 40,089 7,148 47,237 8-1 Wellington .. .. 51,690 10,176 61,866 54,041 11,041 65,082 5-2 Canterbury .. .. 18,724 4,045 22,769 19,533 4,4-06 23,939 5-1 Otago .. .. 16,786 2,838 19,624 17,725 3,040 20,765 5-9 Totals .. 124,831 23,105 147,936 131,388 25,635 157,023 6-1