THE POST & TELEGRAPH YEAR.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1868, 30 September 1913, Page 5

THE POST & TELEGRAPH YEAR.

. MINISTER'S RESUME. THE CALLS OF A CREAT SERVICE. (Br Teloarraph.—Press Association.) Chrlstohurch, September 29. Detained in Wellington, through having to bo present in Parliament while the Post and Telegraph Department's Estimates were considered by the House of Representatives, tho Hon. R. H. Rhodes, Postmaster-General, was unable to attond the letter-carriers' annual dinner on Saturday night. He had prepared a statement of progress made by tho big State Department'under his charge, and intended making it public at tho dinner, but, being unable to do so, he supplied the information to a reporter. "Tho volume of postal matter handled," Bald the Minister, continued to rapidly inorease. Of letters and other articles posted, the number had risen from 85,800,000 in 1902, to nearly 162,000,000 ton years later. The increase in parcel traffic had been even greater, J the parcels" posted in 1902 having been 244,000, and the corresponding number ]ast year 1,624,000. Tho increase in respect of parcels had continued, and, during tho first half of tho present year, it showed an advance of 25 per cent, over tha.t of 1902. That was largely accounted for by .the reduction of the inland rates introduced on January 1. Rural Mall Delivery. "The establishment of rural mail delivery, whereby a settler practically has a post office at his house," continued the Minister, "has met a public need, judging from tho number of, applications for such delivery which continues to be received. In a number of' cases this system has taken the place of the original mail services. Recognising the value of such a s_ervice to tho - back-block settler, the Government intends to encourago its establishment wherever practicable. ■ In the more closely-settled parts several of these services are being ■ performed by Departmental officers mounted on motor-cycles, and a much quicker delivery has Tosulted. As tho roads of the Dominion improve it may bo possiblo to largely extend the Tural mail delivery. Aperture Mall Boxes In Houses. "Every endeavour is made by the Department to give the best possible delivery servico to the public." Tho introduction of aperture plates on tho 1 doors of residences has effectd a saving in tho time occupied by carriers on thoir rounds. If the system of apertures is universally adopted, it is estimated that a saVing of half an Ifour would result in the majority of deliveries."

Motor Mail Transit. "The Department has of late largely extended the use of motor vehicles in its service in rural mail delivories, particularly in-the North Island. Motorcycles have been' brought into use with satisfactory results. At' Christ-church there is a motor-cycle telegram delivery between the chief office and some of the more important sub-offices. This was inaugurated on Jannary 2 last, and has given highly satisfactory results. It has secured a reliable time-table delivery of telegrams to tho sub-offices, and has' relieved congestion. In addition to this an appreciable economy in the matter of staff ha 3 resulted."

Growth of Maohlne Appliances. '"It was interesting to look ah the large part which mechanical appliances Were brought to play in the operations of the l'ost and Telegraph Service. On tho Telegraph side the cash register was used to account for the receipt of payment for telegrams, telegrams were convoyed from ono branch to another by means of a pneumatic system or some other mode of carriage, whilo received telegrams were folded by machinery. "On tho Postal side thero was an automatic registration machine. Stamps were sold by means of a pending machine, and letters were faced up And post-marked by a combined machina designed for the purpose. Bicycles took a prominent part in the delivery of correspondence and, in the accounting system, calculating machines of many kinds wero made to do the work of checking, calculating, and scheduling which formerly Had been done at a cost of much mental effort. The work which before (on account of its responsible nature) had to be done by senior officers, was now undertaken by juniors, and cadet operators using calculating machines.

Our Achievements In Wireless. "The wireless stations at Awanui and Awarua had been tested under varying conditions, and found to give good results. Tho power was obtained from 75 h.p. oil engines. Wireless operating had been satisfactorily carried on with Sydney, and it was expected that both stations Would bo brought into general use on November 7. They were equipped for communication with ships at 'sea, by the lower power, and commercial wave lengths of 600 metres and 300 metres, but, for longer , distances, high power wave ' lengths (ranging from 1800 to 3500 i metres were used. Although extreme distances were not desirable nor necessary for the general working. It was interesting (as indicating the capabilities of the station) to learn that daylight working between the Awanui station and the battleship New Zealand had been maintained over a distance of 1200 miles. Night working was carried out at a distance of nearly 3000 milos. A vessel trading between Honolulu and Japan had been ropeatedly heard at Awanui at a distance of 4000 miles.

Station at the Chathams. "The Chatham Islands station was opened oil September 18, and was of two and a half kilowatts in power. Tho plant was similar to that in use at the Wellington and Auckland stations. It would afford communication with the mainland, and would he a means of reporting shipping to and from the islands. It would al3o be. useful as a transmitting station for wireless communication between New Zealand and vessels Homeward bound by way of Cape Horn. This station had been erected and installed by officers of the Department, and the attendance at the station, although not continuous, was such as to meet present requirements.

Automatic Telephones. "The automatic telephone system at Auckland," said Mr. Rhodes, "is being extended by an addition of an equipment for 800 connections, and at Wellington by an addition of accommodation for 300 connections. These are to servo until the installation of the Western Electric Company's plan for which a tender was acccpted two months ago. It is expected that, within twelve months, a large number of subscribers will have been provided with automatic telephones at tho six centres, for which a contract for tho automatic system has been let. The demand for telephone connections continues to he very heavy. During tho quarter ended June 30 there were, in tho Dominion, 1892 new connections. Active operations are being carried on in several places in laying telephone wires underground. So soon as tho necessary instruments are to hand the convenience of slot telephones will be more largely extended. ■ At the present time there are in use fifty such telephones while the crection of twenty-

eiglit additional telephones has been authorised. Guarding Against Line Breaks. "It will be remembered," said the Postmaster-General in concluding, "that during the winter of last year a heavy snowfall ivas the cause of severe breaks in the telegraph line 1 north of Waiau. On this route the spans havo now been shortened, and stronger poles crectcd whero necessary. A larger gauge of copper-wire has also been employed. It is anticipated that very little trouble from storms will be experienced on this section' of the line in future, but, in order that the risk may be minimised as much as possiblo, the Department is constructing ani alternative lino nearer the cost than the present route. From Waij)ara northwards the polos are being strengthened, and a portion of line rebuilt. "As showing the progress of tolegraph construction it may be remarked that, within the last few months, 77 miles of new line and 675 miles of wire have been erected in the Canterbury, district."