F.—l.

Poles. Wire. M. eh. M. eh. Kiripaka to Ngunguru .. .. .. .. ..50 50 Te Puna, lead off Tauranga-Katikati wire .. .. 0 10 0 10 Aongatete, lead off Tauranga-Katikati wire.. ... .. .. 0 10 New Lynn, extension of Auckland-Avondale wire .. .. .. 1 40 • - Otahuhu (second trunk wire) .. .. .. .. .. 8 60 Devonport (two additional trunk wires) .. .. .. .. 22 40 Kawhia to Te Maika .. .. .. .. .. 35 0 35 0 Tangaihi, branch off Pouto line .. .. .. 4 0 4 0 Taniwha, branch off Mercer-Rangiriri wire .. .. ..60 60 Churchill, branch off Mercer-Rangiriri wire .. .. 3 20 3 60 Paeroa-Waihi (metallic circuit) .. .. .. .. .. 28 0 Pongakawa, branch off Te Puke-Maketu wire .. ... 0 10 7 0 Mangatete, branch off Mangonui-Whangape line .. .. 0 40 0 40 Hupara, from Kawakawa .. .. .. ..30 80 Motukaraka, branch off Rawene-Kohukohu line .. ..20 20 Kaimaumau, branch off Cape Maria van Diemen line .. 3 40 3 40 Opouriao, branch off Whakatane-Taneatua line .. .. 3 20 3 20 Auckland-Hamilton (metallic circuit) .. .. .. .. 166 0 Taumarunui-Raurimu .. .. .. .. .. .. 25 0 162 60 561 40 For Railway Department— Whangarei to Hukerenui .. .. .. .. .. .. 20J 40 162 60 582 0 Poles. Wire. Less wires dismantled— M. eh. M. eh. Mercer-Miranda old No. 4 .. .. 20 0 Helensville-Warkworth old Nos. ■ 1 and 2 .. .. .. 27 0 64 0 Mercer - Pokeno Railway tele-phone-wire .. .... 3 40 27 0 87 40 Net increase . . .. .. .. 135 60 494 40 The net increase is 135 miles 60 chains of line and 494 miles 40 chains of wire. The total length of line in this district is 2,262 miles 50 chains, and of wire 6,204 miles 17 chains, exclusive of that maintained by the Railway Department for its own use. Maintenance. The Dargaville-Kaihu wire, which was of No. 14 copper, was replaced by No. 8 iron wire. This has overcome the trouble of frequent breakages on this circuit. The main line from Thames to Paeroa was rebuilt, heavier poles being used. This line is now in good order. No. 4 wire was diverted from via Miranda to via Hamilton and Paeroa, involving tne erection of 101 miles of wire. The old No. 4 wire was Mercer and Miranda, a distance of 20 miles The two ra old"Morse wires (Nos. 1 and 2) between Helensville and Warkworth and the line of poles between Kaukapakapa and Warkworth were taken down. Twenty-seven miles of poles'and 64 miles of wire in all were dismantled. The Auckland-Helensville' Morse wires were crossed, to neutralise induction from Morse and tramway to single telephone circuits beyond the metallic cable. The Te Kopuru-Pouto line was overhauled, 8 miles of wire being renewed and some heavier poles erected. The Kaipara Heads line was rebuilt, and new telephones substituted for those of the old pattern. The Marsden Point - Whangarei Heads cable parted and was repaired. The Morse cable at Te Kopuru, having also become unworkable, a new piece of cable was spliced into it. The Mercer-Pokeno Railway wire (3J miles) was dismantled. In January very heavy floods occurred, and lines in many parts were nearly submerged. The only damage sustained was one pole washed out on the north section. Offices. Forty-eight new offices were opened during the year. Five offices were closed—viz., Rangiheke, Waitangi, Scarrott's, Oio, and Upper Kuaotunu. One office was converted from Morse to telephone. Helensville office was rewired and refitted with a new test-board. The new office at Tauranga was occupied on the 29th June. The total number of telegraph and telephone offices open is 338, of which 48 are Morse and 290 telephone offices.

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