F.—l

XXI

_ , Number of Subscribers or Connections: Exchange. Mar 31 _ 1898 Mar 31 _ ]899 Bluff ... ... ... ... ... 23 ... 22 Gore ... ... ... ... ... 48 ... 54 Mataura ... ... ...* ... ... 10 ... 9 Otautau ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 15 Biversdale ... ... ... ... ... 11 ... 12 Winton ... ... ... ... ... 9 ... 8 Woodlands ... ... ... ... ... 7 ... 5 Masterton ... ... ,'.' ... ... 69 ... 72 Napier 291 ... 298 Hastings ... ... ... ... ... 27 ... 40 Nelson ... ... ... ... ... 57 ... 59 New Plymouth ... ... ... ... ... 150 ... 165 Oamaru ... ... ... ... ... 103 ... 118 Palmerston North ... ... ... ... 91 ... 131 Thames ... ... ... ... ... 83 ... 80 Timaru ... ... ... ... ... 73 ... 78 Wanganui ... ... ... ... ... 173 ... 205 Wellington ... ... ... ... ... 1,163 ... 1,279 Totals ... ... ... ... ... 5,787 6,203 The connections may be classified as follows: Paying, 5,826; free, 129; bureaux, 248: total, 6,203. The telephone-exchange receipts amounted to £39,718 7s. 7d., an increase of £3,296 os. lid. as compared with the subscriptions received during the previous year. The working-expenses and 5 per cent, interest on capital cost for the year amounted to £40,606 4s. 3d. Sixty bureaux were established during the year, and two were closed. The following are the particulars of telegraph and telephone-wires, &c, in the colony on 31st March, 1899 :— Telegraph. Telephone. Miles of line, Ist April, 1898 ... ... ... ... 6,484 413 31st March, 1899... ... ... ... 6,736 436 Miles of wire, Ist April, 1898 ... ... ... ... 18,024 5,648 31st March, 1899 ... ... ... 18,746 5,803 Increase during year — Miles of line " ... ... ... ... ... 252 23 Miles of wire ... ... ... ... ... 723 155 Submarine cable, Ist April, 1898 ... ... ... 242 knots 8 knots. 31st March, 1899 ... ... ... 242 knots 8 knots. TELEGRAPH CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE. There has been a considerable demand for the extension of telephone lines during the year. Fifty-three lines were applied for of a total mileage of 642, to erect which would have required an expenditure of over £30,000. With the exception of a few short lines which promised to be selfsupporting, and others erected for departmental purposes, offers were as far as possible made to grant communication on a guarantee against loss—generally for five years —being given by the Council of the county in which the proposed line was to run, or on a lump sum being paid in_ advance by the settlers. In twenty-two cases, however, applications were altogether declined. In 1898 ten bonds were entered into by County Councils guaranteeing an annual sum of £169 55., and £233 16s. was paid by way of commuted guarantee for five lines erected during the year. The total annual value of telephone guarantees at this date is £683 10s. The following telegraph works have been carried out during the year in the several districts:— Auckland. Construction. The following new lines have been erected and completed : — Miles of Miles of Poles. Wire. Opitonui loop ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 2 Waihopo loop ... ... ... ... ... 0£ Manukau Heads Signal-station ... ... ... ... ... 0£ Sales ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0£ Of Upper Onehunga Bureau... ... ... .... ... 0J 3 Arch Hill Bureau ... ... ... ... 1J Aratapu-Aoroa ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 4 Waipapa line ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 9 Whakapara-Hukerenui ... . . ... ... ... 1 7 Auckland-Mahoenui ... ... ... ... ... 155£ Katikati-Bowentown ... ... ... ... ... 1 4 Putaruru-Rotorua .., ~ ... ... ... 33 33