F.—l

The extension of the automatic switching-equipment at Dunedin by 200 lines. The rearrangement of the equipment at Lower Hutt to provide an additional 700 numbers for to Wellington. The conversion of a number of rural subscribers' lines at Oamaru from magneto to semiautomatic operation. The provision of facilities for the release of automatic calls by either the called or the calling subscriber at Whangarei and Marton. The provision of additional numbers for P.B.X. operation at Hamilton, Wellington Central, Courtenay Place, and Dunedin automatic exchanges by the conversion of existing equipment. The installation of a wire chief's emergency-control desk at the Wellington Central exchange and the provision of an additional wire chief's desk for ordinary requirements. The replacement of the 48 volt exchange battery at Hamilton. The replacement and conversion to end-cell voltage control of the secondary battery and the installation of a motor-generator set for fully-floated battery charging at Ponsonby. The replatal of the central exchange secondary battery at Auckland. The installation of tubular heaters to control atmospheric humidity in the switchrooms at Hawera and Dannevirke automatic-telephone exchanges. The installation of timing-devices in a large number of public call offices at automatictelephone exchanges. The cabling and wiring of the new Chief Post-office building at Dunedin. The length of various items of telephone-exchange plant in existence on the 31st March, 1936 and 1937, respectively, was as follows : —

The percentages of the total wire-mileage in underground, aerial, and submarine cables and open aerial wire respectively for the year ended 31st March, 1937, are as under : — Telephone-exchange wire in underground cables . . . . 72-2 per cent. Telephone-exchange wire in aerial cables .. .. .. 7-9 ~ Telephone-exchange wire in submarine cables .. .. . . 0-3 ~ Telephone-exchange open aerial wire .. .. .. .. 19-6 ~ TELEPHONE STATISTICS. A comparison of statistics in respect of the telephone system is made in the following table, which shows annually since 1928 the number of exchanges, the total wire-mileage, the revenue, and the total number of telephone-stations, together with the number of telephones for each 1,000 of population of the Dominion :—

30

Cable. Wire. Pole- W 1 * Uuct r TT , Line. Under- AeriaL Sub- ! " „ J" In Aerial Sub- Open Under all ground. marine. Q a t)l e Cable, marine. Aerial. Headings. , i - ■ ■ • Miles. I Chains. Chains. Chains. Chains. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Iii existence on 15,52946,201* 99,91437,210 1,266 400,597*46,157 1,920*109,229 557,903* 31st March, 1936 Erected during year 379 2,625 3,850 395 .. 14,169 359 ! .. 3,473 18,001 Dismantled during 44 5 862 782 17 4,207 1,288 4 800 6,299 year In existence on 15,86448,824 102,90236,823 1,249 [410,559 45,228 |l,916 111,902f 569,605 31st March, 1937 * Revised figures. f Includes 154 miles of earthworking circuit.

Number of Telephone-stations. Year. Number of jy[;i es Q f Wire. Revenue. Ex0hangeS ' Tnf , Per 1,000 Population. £ 1928 .. .. .. 344 463,356 1 1,057,177 144,552* 99-40 1929 .. .. .. 351 495,470 1,135,795 152,541* 103-72 1930 .. .. .. 349 513,096 1,206,714 161,323* 108-37 1931 .. .. .. 349 528,568 1,238,649 161,739* 107-04| 1932 .. .. .. 349 556,735 1,218,072 160,779* 105-45 1933 .. .. .. 349 559,890 1,169,512 155.560* 101-21 1934 .. .. .. 349 560,509 1,164,711 155,059* 100-18 1935 .. .. .. 349 548,186:|; 1,190,773 159,170* 102-06 1936 .. .. .. 348 557,834 1,252.964 166,565* 105-85 1937 .. .. .. 348 569,605 1,338,958 178,599* 112-52 * Includes approximately 4,000 non-exchange stations. f Decrease owing to temporary loss of subscribers due to Hawke's Bay earthquake. J Revised figures.