F.—l

XXII

ChiUStchukch District. A telephone-office was opened at Lake Tekapo. Owing to the scarcity of material the work of reconstructing the section Papanui to Kaiapoi, as mentioned in last report, has had to be postponed, but such attention as was immediately necessary for upholding communication has been given. The line must be rebuilt during the ensuing year. The section Kaiapoi to Waipara also requires a thorough overhaul. Waipara to Waiau. A thorough overhaul has been made, spans being shortened to the regulation 4 chains, and poles erected along road-line. Four copper wires have been erected to connect with the new line northwards. Waiau to Kaikoura. This is a new section of line being erected alongside the main coach-road. Old railway metals are being used for poles. They are erected as far as Greenburn, or within 18 miles of Kaikoura. It is expected the line will be completed and wires run by end of May. On its completion the present line between Waipara and Kaikoura, except one wire as far as Hawkswood, will be dismantled. The sections Addington to Kaiapoi, Eangiora to Amberley, Kaiapoi to Oxford, Southbridge branch, and Christchurch to Akaroa, will need an extensive overhaul, and many poles will require to be re-butted, &c. It is intended to loop Geraldine in on the main line, thus saving transmission of the work of that office. The work of extension has been almost entirely confined to the provision of additional accommodation on existing lines. The third wire, Springfield to Bealey, has been extended so as to give two clear wires to the West Coast by placing Castle Hill, Cass, and Bealey on the new wire. The line between Old John's and the loop-line has been dismantled, and is now erected along the coach-road to Kumara, thus cutting out a great deal of unnecessary wire. Two wires have been erected from Christchurch to the racecourse, and a new line, Burkes Pass to Lake Tekapo (14 miles), constructed, and an office opened at the latter place. The sections not enumerated above are all in good order. DUNEDIN DISTBICT. Construction. The extensions carried out through the year have been as follow : — A new line, Queenstown to Kingston, and the erection of a second wire, Kingston to Lumsden, in connection therewith (completing an alternative route between Dunedin and Invercargill); Cambrian's to Beck's, Dunedin to North-east Harbour, Hillgrove to Moeraki; second wire Oamaru to Georgetown and Kurow to Otiake; Dunedin to Opoho, Skipper's to Bullendale, and Waipahi to Pukerau (completing alternative route between Clinton and Mataura). New offices have been opened at Beck's, Bullendale, Caversham (Bureau), Clarksville, Maori Point (reopened), Moeraki, Mornington (reopened), North-east Harbour, and Opoho. Maintenance. Beyond the reconstruction of some twenty miles of line there has been no necessity for any extensive repairs during the year, all lines having worked satisfactorily. The length of telegraph and telephone lines used in the district at the end of the year was 1,542 miles of poles and 4,255 miles of wire.

The Post Office maps showing the postal routes and telegraph and railway lines, and the charts showing the position of telegraph lines, accompany the report.