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Miles of Po'es. Miles of Wire. Avondale Eacecotirse, loop in on No. 2 .. ... 0-J 1 Mount Eoskill to Waikowhai ... ... ... 3f 3f Auckland to Ellerslie Eacecourse ... ... ... — 4-| Cambridge to Hautapu ... ... ... - ... 4 4-J-Waitekauri to Waikino... ... ... ... — 3^ Thames to Paeroa (trunk wire) ... . ... — 22 Waiotapu and Police-station, Eotorua ... ... 0-| Of Tahekeroa to Ahuroa ... ... ... ... 5i 5% Ongarue to Taumarunui ... ... ... 14 14 Taumarunui to Tunanui ... ... ... 7 7 For Railway Department : — Avondale railway signals ... ... ... — 0 J Ellerslie-Penrose (block and telephone) ... .. — 2 Totals ... ... ... 38i 242£ The additions for the year make a grand total of 1,890 miles of poles and 4,717 miles of wire in this district. Cables. The following cables were laid during the year:— Miles of Three-core. Miles of Single-core. Mainland to Limestone Island ... ... ... — 1-J-Pahi to Whakapirau ... ... ... ... — O^ Motuihi Island to Waiheke Island ... ... .. — 2J Ponsonby to Northcote... ... .. ... 1 Totals ... ... ... 1 H Offices. The following changes were made : Karangahake, Waiwera, and Putaruru were converted from telephone to Morse offices, and Kuaotunu converted from Morse to telephone. Two quadruplex sets were fitted at Auckland to correspond with quadruplex repeater sets installed at Paeroa and Hamilton respectively. These repeaters have given most satisfactory results, providing muchneeded outlets for the increased traffic at a minimum cost. New offices were erected at Aratapu, Hamilton, and Onehunga, and are now occupied. A bureau has been opened at the latter office. Drury, Paeroa, and Eotorua offices were refitted. In addition to the above, offices were opened for the Public Works Department at Ahuroa, Opotiki, Taumarunui, and Tunanui on the Central Eailway route. The erection of an extra wire from Auckland to Doubtless Bay to meet the Pacific cable has been started, and will be finished early in the year. The whole of the Auckland-Mangonui section of line requires rebuilding, the present poles being small and much decayed. Maintenance. The section Auckland-Mercer is undergoing an extensive overhaul, the line being largely strengthened. The Mercer-Hamilton section is also receiving attention. The Eotorua-Taupo section was completed to Atiamuri, and alterations are being made further south, where several deviations from the existing route will be made to improve the working conditions of the main line. Helensville to Warkworth. —As the main north line between Northcote and Warkworth is being thoroughly strengthened, this route may be discarded, as all tracks have been abandoned, the culverts and bridges being washed away. It has been a very bad piece of line to maintain, all material having to be packed at great expense; and, moreover, a line is being erected along the railway-line towards "Warkworth. It may be necessary to abandon the line running via Miranda to Thames and erect additional wires on the main line, to avoid the swamps and rivers, which cause considerable trouble at times. Telephone Exchanges. The Auckland Exchange continues in a satisfactory condition, and a steady increase of subscribers has taken place, amounting to 110 during the year. The total connections are 1,371, including 47 bureaux. Thames. —This exchange is in good order, and has 81 subscribers, including 8 bureaux. Paeroa. —A sub-exchange was installed here during the year with 17 subscribers. A trunk wire connects with Thames. The total subscribers to the exchanges in the district now number 1,469, connected by 119| miles of poles and 1,550J miles of wire. One mile of single-core cable has been laid between Ponsonby and Northcote for telephoneexchange purposes.

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