F.—l

XXIII

Maintenance. The following sections have been overhauled and repaired, the aggregate length being 448 miles : Mangonui to Cape Maria van Diemen ; Thames to Coromandel and Whangapoua ; Hamilton to Raglan and Kawhia ; Hamilton to Mahoenui; Morrinsville to Lichfield; Te Kopuru to Pouto ; Devonport to Warkworth; Paeroa to Waihi; Te Aroha to Morrinsville; Drury to Manukau Heads ; Auckland to Drury. Twenty miles of wire were renewed. The Te Kopuru-Mititai cable, which became faulty, was repaired. Offices. The railway offices at Kumeu, Waimamaku, and Kirikiriroa have been connected by telephone. Three constant-current Morse instruments were fitted to the Dargaville-Kaihu Railway circuit. New test-boards were fitted at 8 offices. The Kawakawa public office was transferred to the railway-station ; and the Pouto office to the Native-school building lately purchased by the department. The post- and telegraph-office at Hamilton was transferred to temporary premises owing to the destruction by fire of the department's building on the 6th October. The total number of offices in the district is 210. They are connected by 1,768J miles of line and 4,156 miles of wire. Telephone Exchanges. The branching multiple switchboard which was erected in 1898 continues to give satisfaction. The number of subscribers at the end of the year was 1,134 —an increase of 93 during the year. Two miles and a half of poles and eighty-eight miles of wire were erected. The total number of connections with telephone exchanges in the Auckland Telegraph Inspector's district is 1,217. Thames. This exchange is in good order. The number of subscribers at the end of the year was 69, being a decrease of 11 as compared with the previous year. Wellington. Construction. The following extensions of lines and wires were made during the year:— Miles of Miles of Poles. Wire. Nuhaka-Morere ... ... ... ... ... 6 6 Otakeho-Pihama ... ... ... ... ... ... 8 Longburn-Linton-Tokomaru ... ... ... ... Of 8 Eltham-Stratford (additional wire) ... ... 6 Featherston-Masterton ... ... ... ... ... 24 Waiomatatini-Tikitiki ... ... ... ... 3-J- 3f Tikorangi-Waitara ... ... ... ... ... 4 4 Feilding-Kimbolton ... ... ... ... 17 Pipiriki-Te Horo ... ... ... ... ... 56 56 Hawera-Manaia (trunk telephone-wire) ... ... ... .... 9f Wellington-Oriental Bay (bureau) ... ... ... ... Of New Plyinouth-Waitara ... ... ... ... ... 12 Ohingaiti-Mangaweka... ... ... ... 7 Manga weka-Moawhango ... ... ... ... 25 25 Ngaire-Eltham ... ... ... ... 3 Otaki-Waikanae (bureau) ... ... ... ... 11 Masterton-Waipukurau (three copper wires) ... ... ... 312 Stratford-New Plymouth (trunk telephone-wire) ... ... ... 30 Sentry Hill-Lepperton ... ... ... ... Of Of Te Arai-Hangaroa ... ... ... ... ... 12f 12f Matamau ... ... ... . ... ... If If Jubilee Home-Makirikiri ... ... ... ... 3 3 For Railway Department— Featherston-Masterton Railway ... ... ... 22 22 Carnarvon-Longburn Railway .. ... ... ... Of 13f Wanganui-Aramoho Railway ... ... ... ... 3 3 Spit-Waipukurau (late Nelson Brothers' private wire) ... ... 4 For Public Works Department— Mangaonoho-Makohine workshops ... ... ... 1 1 Purchased by Railway Department from Nelson Brothers 44 Total ... ... ... ... ... 138f 647f Dismantled. Napier-Gisborne ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 Waipukurau-Masterton vid East Coast... ... ... 24 454 Otaki-Paikakariki ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 Total ... ... ... ... ... 24 458 The total additions for the year were 114f miles of poles and 189f miles of wire.