F.— l

„ , No. of Subscribers or Connections : Exohan g e - Mar. 81, 1901. Mar. 31, 1902. Hokitika ... ... ... ... ... 95 Invercargill ... ... ... ... 278 ... 291 Bluff ... ... ... ... 23 ... 25 Edendale ... ... ... ... 5 ... 6 Gore ... ... ... ... 63 ... 66 Lumsden ... ... ... ... 14 ... 16 Mataura ... ... ... ... 9 ... 10 Otautau ... ... ... ... 24 ... 26 Eiversdale ... ... ... ... 16 ... 17 Eiverton ... ... ... ... 18 ... 19 Winton ... ... ... ... 17 ... 19 Woodlands ... ... ... ... 5 ... 4 Wyndham ... ... ... ... 13 ... 12 Masterton ... ... ... ... 104 ... 11l Carterton ... ... ... ... ... 22 Eketahuna ... ... ... ... — ... 14 Napier ... ... ... ... 316 ... 334 Hastings ... ... ... ... 48 ... 54 Nelson ... ... ... ... 107 ... 138 New Plymouth ... ... ... 230 ... 253 Inglewood ... ... ... ... 11 ... 17 Waitara ... ... ... ... 14 ... 14 Oamaru ... ... ... ... 161 ... 173 Ngapara ... ... ... ... 1 ... 1 Pahiatua ... ... ... ... 63 ... 71 Woodville ... ... ... ... 15 ... 17 Palmerston North ... ... ... 157 ... 187 Stratford ... ... ... ... 68 ... 86 Thames ... ... ... ... 78 ... 81 Paeroa ... ... ... ... — ... 17 Timaru ... ... ... ... 123 ... 162 Fairlie ... ... ... ... — ... 10 Temuka ... ... ... ... — ... 15 Wanganui ... ... ... ... 284 ... 328 Hunterville ... ... ... ... — ... 6 Marton ... ... ... ... 25 ... 29 Wellington ... ... ... ... 1,585 ... 1,731 Total ... ... ... 8,210 9,260 The connections may be classified as follows : Paying, 8,501 ; free, 217; bureaux, 542 : total, 9,260. The telephone-exchange receipts amounted to £55,542 4s. 9d., or £6,425 4s. Id. more than the previous year. The working-expenses, plus 5 per cent, interest on the capital cost, amounted to £50,772 Bs. 9d. for the year. The following are the particulars of telegraph and telephone wires, &c, in the colony on the 31st March, 1902 :— Telegraph. Telephone. Miles of line, Ist April, 190] ... ... ... ... 7,249 545 31st March, 1902 ... ... ... 7,469 601 Miles of wire, Ist April. 1901 ... ... ... ... 20,682 6,987 31st March, 1902 ... ... ... 21,705 7,767 Increase during the year— Miles of line ... ... ... ... ... 220 56 Miles of wire ... ... ... ... ... 1,023 780 Submarine cables, Ist April, 1901 ... ... ... 244 knots 11-6 knots. 31st March, 1902 ... ... ... 248-7 knots 12-5 knots. TELEGEAPH AND TELEPHONE CONSTEUCTION AND MAINTENANCE. Auckland. Construction. The following new lines have been erected and completed : — Miles of Poles. Miles of Wire. Pahi to Whakapirau ... ... ... ... 04Whangarei to Limestone Island ... ... ... 3 3 Auckland to Eotorua ... ... ... ... — 171

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