P.—2

1877. NEW ZEALAND.

TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT. (THIRTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT.)

Presented to both Somes of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Office of the Commissioner of Telegraphs, My Lord,— 20th August, 1877. I have the honor to submit to your Lordship a Report as to the operations of the Telegraph Department of New Zealand, during the year ended 30th June, 1877, being the Thirteenth Annual Report of the Department. I have, &c, Geo. McLean, Commissioner of Telegraphs. His Excellency the Most Honorable the Marquis of Normanby, K.C.M.G., Governor of New Zealand.

REPORT. The total earnings of the department for the year 1876-77, exclusive of the value of General Government telegrams, amount to £65,644 15s. 3d., being £2,929 4s. lid. in excess of the receipts of last year. This amount is £1,355 4s. 9d. less than the estimate, which was set down at £67,000, a circumstance, however, fully accounted for by the fact that no stations of importance have during the year been opened which have proved any great sources of revenue. The number of telegrams transmitted during the year was J ,124,432, being an increase over the previous year of 73,343. Comparing this increase with that of the increase of the year 1875-76 over the year 1874-75, it will be seen that the increased number transmitted falls short by some 60,612. Taking into account the value of the General Government telegrams, the total earnings of the department for the year amounted to £82,669 45., and, as will be seen on reference to the debtor and creditor statement, this exceeds the expenditure in maintenance of lines and stations by £1,384 ss. 2d. The cost of maintenance of stations for the year was £63,353 10s. lOd, and of lines £17,931 Bs. The former item shows an increased expenditure over the previous year of £1,656 16s. 5d., and the latter a decrease of £3,143 os. Bd. The number of telegrams transmitted during the year, as compared with the number of letters posted during the same period, shows that 2029 telegrams were sent for every 100 letters. The comparative number for the previous year was 22-21. The proportion for the present year is therefore somewhat less, but the fact that the number of letters shows an increase of 809,047 has to be taken into consideration. The number of money-order telegrams sent during the year was 12,336, representing a value of £55,322 2s. 6d., being an increase of 1,624 messages, and £6,333 ss. 3d., as compared with the previous year. The commission collected by the Post Office on these transactions amounts to £1,554 12s. Bd.; and after deducting £616 165., due to the Telegraph Department as fees on telegrams, there remains to the credit of the Post Office £937 16s. Bd., being within a fraction of V 7 per cent, upon the total amount transmitted. Upon reference to Table C, it will be seen that the largest number of orders were issued in Dunedin, Wellington coming next, and Auckland and Christchurch third in point of numbers; but Auckland's transactions exceeded those of Christchurch by more than £1,500. During the year, 105 miles of line, carrying 176 miles of wire, have been erected. The number of stations open to the public on the 30th June was 155, 15 of which were opened during the past year, 7 being in the North Island and 8 in the South Island. The cost per mile for maintenance of line was £5 12s. lid., the extent of line maintained being 3,174 miles (85 miles line not included in Maintenance Table—see foot-note, Table G). On the 30th June, 1877, 3,259 miles of line, carrying 7,423 miles of wire, were in circuit, showing an increased mileage upon the previous year of line, 105 miles; and wire, 176. I—E. 2.