P.—l.

The installation at Auckland and Wellington of additional facilities for telephoning telegrams to telephone-exchange subscribers. The provision of facilities for toll dialling between Cambridge and Hamilton, Feilding and Marton, Nelson and Blenheim, Rai Valley and Blenheim, and Ranfurly and Dunedin, and the extension of dialling facilities between Napier and Hastings and between Waipawa and Hastings. The provision of new and improved leading-in facilities for telegraph and toll lines at twentyseven offices. The installation of extensions to the toll-boards at Hamilton, Te Awamutu, Waipukurau, and Dunedin. The installation at Christchurch of the " demand " system for handling toll traffic. The installation of calculagraph clocks for the timing of toll communications at the Kohukohu, Rawene, Kaikohe, Tirau, and Ranfurly telephone exchanges. POLES AND WIRES. During the year 24 miles of pole-line and 387 miles of wire (including wire in submarine cable) were erected for telegraph and telephone (toll) purposes, while 74 miles of pole-line and 158 miles of wire were dismantled, or, in localities where no longer required by the Department, sold to settlers for use as private telephone-lines. The lengths of pole-line and wire (including wire in submarine cable) in use for telegraph and telephone toll purposes on the 31st March, 1935 and 1936 respectively, were as follow Year ended Year ended Pole-line and Wire. 31st March, 1935. 31st March, 1936. Miles of pole-line .. .. •• 12,159* 12,109 Miles of wire .. .. ■. ■ • .. 65, ISO* 65,409 NEW ZEALAND SUBMARINE CABLES. COOK STRAIT CABLES. In last year's report reference was made to the fact that an earth fault had developed in No. 5 Lyall Bay - White's Bay single-core telegraph cable at a point approximately 2-75 miles from Lyall Bay, in consequence of which the cable was out of commission. Later in the year tests showed not only that this fault had developed into a complete break, but that a second break had occurred approximately thirteen miles farther out towards White's Bay. It is noteworthy that these two breaks occurred in sections of cable which had lain faultless on the sea-bed for twenty-eight years and that the interruption was the second occasion only on which No. 5 cable has been out of commission during that period. In February last an incipient fault was detected in No. 1 Oterangi Bay - White's Bay telegraph cable and localization tests placed the fault approximately three miles out from the White s Bay cable hut. Although the fault is not at present of sufficient magnitude to aSect appreciably the operation of the cable, its nature indicates definitely that it will develop sufficiently in the course of a few months to throw the cable out of commission. It has been decided, therefore, at this stage to make preliminary inquiries with a view to chartering the cable steamer " Recorder " to undertake repairs to No. 5 Lyall Bay and No. 1 Oterangi Bay cables as soon as the vessel can be made available for the work. The remaining cables across the Strait, comprising four single core telegraph cables and the four core continuously loaded telephone cable, remained in good working order throughout the year. FOYEAUX STRAIT CABLE. No trouble has been experienced with the submarine cable between Stewart Island and the mainland during the year. This cable has now been laid for thirty-four years, and the only faults experienced during that period are those which developed within I*s miles of the Ocean Beach (Bluff) cable-hut. A few years ago the cable was diverted to a new landing-place on the mainland in order to secure a more favourable bed in the neighbourhood of Ocean Beach, and no further interruptions have been experienced since that diversion was effected. RADIO, TELEGRAPH, AND TELEPHONE SERVICES. DEPARTMENTAL RADIO-STATIONS : OPERATION. The Department's radio-stations continued to give uninterrupted service during the year. Except ■at the Wellington and Awarua stations, only normal maintenance-work has been necessary. An extensive scheme of modernization was carried out at the two stations named. W ELLINGTON -R ADIO : The year was marked by considerable extension and improvement in the plant and operating facilities at Wellington-Radio which has, in some respects, attained the status of a national radio centre conducting not only coastal services for the benefit of shipping, but also services to the island Dependencies and certain Pacific Islands of other Administrations. It has also established itself as the central station for the emergency system referred to elsewhere in this Report.

* Revised figures.

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