D—4

Tuai-Bunnythorpe. —In spite of delays due to non-arrival of conductor cable and jointing-sleeves, steady progress was made towards the completion of this line. Steel-tower erection was completed in March. Khandallah - Central Park (Second Circuit).—All towers have been taken to site, and seven erected. (c) 50 kV. Lines Maungatapere-Dargaville.—Route of new line located. Arapuni-Matamata.—A short tie-line was erected near Horahora in April to connect up the Matamata line to the Arapuni line after Horahora was cut out. Tuai-Gisborne. The deviation of the section of the line at Waerenga-o-kuri, which was subsiding through heavy rains and flooding, was completed. (d) General Mangakino-Reticulation.—Work was continued on the reticulation of the construction works and village. Two more distribution transformers, one 300 kVA. and the other 75 kVA., were installed. Over two hundred and seventy house services have been -completed. 4. Communications Arapuni-Claudelands Telephone-line. —The remainder of the multi-circuit line from Arapuni to Karapiro was completed and put into service, and the old line was dismantled. Arapuni-Maraetai Telephone-line. —This line was completed. Maraetai-Whakamaru Telephone-line.—Survey work is in progress. Channel Carrier System.—A three-channel carrier service between Claudelands and Bunnythorpe was installed. Similar equipment is being installed between Claudelands and Penrose. A carrier lateral line from Puketaha to Hamilton has been surveyed. A manual exchange was installed at Kaitawa. The main supervisory protection cabinet for Tuai was completed and installation •of a thirty-line telephone switchboard commenced. Telephone-line-protection cabinets for Masterton, Woodville, and Oreytown were assembled and installed. A survey of the relocation of line on the Woodville-Masterton system telephone-line was completed. Two twenty-line telephone switchboards were installed at Penrose. 5. General At the Kotemaori patrol station one cottage was completed, and six transit houses were built in the Auckland district. An area of 10 acres has been secured at Taradale Road, one and a half miles from Napier, as a plant depot, main store, carpenters' shop, and general maintenance depot. The Public Works Department is developing a site of 8 acres in conjunction with this Department and is carrying out the general levelling, roading, and drainage. The area is reticulated for power. The store was practically completed, as well as a stores office and caretaker's cottage. Other works in progress are a cable-store and a transit cottage.

19