r>.—2,

Durham Road has been closed as a tablet station. The present position with regard to blockworking is as follows : — Total mileage equipped with tablet instruments.. .. .. .. 1,577 Number of tablet instruments in use .. .. .. .. .. 869 Number of tablet stations .. .. .. .. .. .. 357 Number of tablet exchangers .. .. .. .. .. 314 Mileage of double line worked by lock and block .. .. .. 10 Number of stations .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 8 Number of instruments .. .. .. .. .. .. 14 Telegraph and Telephone Facilities. During the past year 32 miles of pole-line were rebuilt, 64 miles of copper conductor replaced iron conductors on these sections, and 109 miles of copper wire were erected in new circuits. The Putaruru-Rotorua Section of line was rebuilt. The work of extending and improving telephone communication between all stations has been continued, and, although there are still sections of main line and many branches with either old wire or no communication-lines at all, the extent of the communication network is now such that direct control of all phases of railway work can be given from the main centres. Plans and specifications have been prepared for increased facilities at Auckland, and work at the Wellington new station is well advanced, a large proportion of the telephone-cable reticulation being already in use. A new carrier telephone system was installed between Wanganui and Ohakune Junction, and all circuits between Wanganui and Frankton Junction reorganized to give the district offices at Wanganui increased lines of communication over the main trunk area. The statistics of communication facilities are as follows :— Morse instruments .. .. .. .. .. .. 177 Telephones .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,055 Miles of wire .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 17,320 Miles of poles .. .. .. .. .. ... .. 3,086 Railway exchanges — Automatic .. .. . . .. .. .. ... 5 Manual . . . . .. .. .. .. .. 13 Public exchange connections . . .. .. .. .. 587 Level-crossing Alarms. Flashing-light signals have been installed at Portage Road, New Lynn. The total number of level crossings now fitted with automatic devices is 124. In addition, there is also a number of crossings protected by manually controlled bells. Major Works in Wellington and Vicinity. Wellingtowr-Paekakariki.—During the year the erection of the 33,000-volt transmission-line to Paekakariki for the purpose of supplying electrical energy to the traction substations was completed. The length of 33,000-volt armoured cable to complete this line through some of the tunnels south of Paekakariki has now been jointed and connected to the transmission-line. With the exception of the yard in Wellington, the erection of supports for the catenary and contact wire system has been practically completed. A number of substation buildings has been completed, together with the outdoor steel-work for the support of the electrical equipment. All the electrification work, exclusive of that at Wellington, will be completed shortly. Wellington-Johnsonville Electrification. —A start has been made with this electrification, and surveys have been made for pole and substation positions. All the electrical equipment required has been ordered. Wellington New Yard and Station Building.—The main substation to feed the station building and yard with electrical energy has been built, and all switchgear, transformers, standby plant, &c., have been erected. Switchgear and transformers for the various locations, both in the station and yard, have been installed. The interconnecting network and ring mains in the yard have been partly installed, and a supply of energy will be available during 1936. Electrical Reticulation. During the year electric-lighting was installed in the station buildings and yards at Wiri, Mahia, Okahukura, National Park, and Waikari. Two hundred and thirty-nine dwellings were also reticulated for electric-lighting. Various electrical installations were carried out at the workshops. At the close of the year a total of 2,494 dwellings and 348 railway-stations were electrically lighted, while thirteen station-yards were equipped with flood-lighting. Track, Plant, and Rolling-stock. The track, bridges, structures, signalling-appliances, rolling-stock, and other plant are in good order, and efficient for the work required of them. General Manager.

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