F.—l

XXVI

There has been a slight increase in the number of Press messages, the figures for which are as foil ows :— Pacific. E.E.A. & C. Year. Messages. Year. Messages. 1903 325 1903 1,270 1904 486 1904 1,065; 1905 722 1905 1,504 1906 668 1906 1,147 1907 515 1907 1,359 Eecent checks show that the average best time in which messages are handled on the Pacific route are :— H. m. From London ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 15 America ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 12 „ Sydney ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 8 Melbourne ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 15 The figures show that New Zealand has given the Pacific route 89 per cent, of the ordinary business to Australia. Cable Business. The number and value of cable messages forwarded from New Zealand during 1907 are shown in the following statement : —

The Daminion's outward international and Australian cable business, not including Press, for the years 1906 and 1907 was as follows : — International. Number of Value. Messages. £ s. d. 1907... ... ... 31,456 45,389 8 7 1906... ... ... 28,711 44,196 3 5 Increase 2,745 = 9-56 per cent. £1,193 5 2 = 2-70 per cent. Australia. Number of Value. Messages. £ s. d. 1907... ... ... 84,644 16,510 16 8 1906 77,010 15,454 5 11 Increase 7,634 = 991 per cent. £1,056 10 9 = 684 per cent. There was a total increase of 10,379 messages, and an increase of £2,249 15s. lid. in value.

la 'aci, x. Ordinary. 'ress. Destination. Number of Messages. Value. Number of Messages. Value. international Australia... 24,953 77,537 £ s. d. 39,266 3 3 15,245 16 3 38 477 £ s. d. 54 14 0 124 19 5 Total for 1907 102,490 54,511 19 6 515 179 13 5 Total for 1906 94,199 52,515 19 11 668 431 13 10 Via Exte: >,sion. Destination. ( Number of Messages. Irdinary. 'ress. Value. Number of Messages. Value. International Australia ... 4,146 9,464 £ s. d. 5,402 13 6 1,985 12 3 112 1,247 £ 214 609 8. 7 5 d. 0 0 Total for 1907 13,610 7,388 5 9 1,359 823 12 0 Total for 1906 11,522 7,134 9 5 1,147 858 13 11 •