15

F.—l

The following is the classification of paid telegrams and toll communications under the various headings:— » , Value. ° • Number. « Ordinary telegrams .. .. .. .. 6,324,982 528,350 Urgent telegrams . . .. .. .. .. 394,569 44,364 Press telegrams .. .. . . . . . . 372, 683 36, 336 Night letter-telegrams .. .. .. .. 5,525 494 Toll communications .. .. .. .. 6,786,707 254,182 13,884,466 863,726 Less amount due to other Administrations on cable and radio messages .. .. .. .. 172,242 Net totals for paid messages of all codes, 1920-21 .. 13,884,466 691,484 Net totals for paid messages of all codes, 1919-20 .. 14,957,615 604,221 The total number of offices open on the 31st March, 1921, was 2,338, being a decrease of one. The number of paid telegrams forwarded amounted to five messages for every hundred letters posted in New Zealand. At the end of the year 853 telegraph instruments, classified as under, were in use : Constant current, 382 ; intermittent current, 276 ; single-current duplex, 41 ; double-current duplex, 37 ; direct sounders, 2 ; quadruplex, 76 ; quadruplex translators, 39. To operate the above instruments 46,543 cells, classified as under, were required : Leclanche, 35,681 ; Gordon Burnham, 5,424 ; Daniell, 3,156 ; bichromate, 1,786 ; storage, 172 ; dry, 324. During the year 14 new test-boards were installed in telegraph-offices, and 76 offices were rewired. Thirty new offices were opened, 42 closed, and 99 removed to new positions. Five offices were converted from telephone to Morse, and two Morse to telephone. The length of telegraph and telephone line and wire on the 31st March, 1920 and 1921 respectively, was as follows : —

During the year some 4-6 miles of new telegraph and inter-urban telephone pole line were erected ; but, as a set-off against this, 12 miles of pole line were dismantled for erection elsewhere, or, in localities where the Department no longer required it, sold to the settlors for use as private lines. Of telegraph and inter-urban telephone wire, some 616 miles were erected and 22 miles dismantled, making an increase of 594 miles during the year. In connection with the telephone-exchange plant, the development of both pole line and wire has been well maintained in spite of difficulties in obtaining suitable material, the increases for the year being 330 miles and 14,517 miles respectively. During the year 58 miles of telephone-exchange cables of various sizes, containing 15,499 miles of wire, were run out, and .17 miles of cable, containing 4,052 miles of wire, were dismantled. The total length of telephone-exchange cable of various sizes in existence on the 31st March, 1921, was 798 miles, and this length of cable contains 149,786 miles of conductors. In addition to the telephone-exchange wires contained in cables, 4,067 miles of open aerial wire for subscribers' circuits were erected, and 992 miles dismantled, during the year. The total length of telegraph and inter-urban telephone wiro in use —viz., 51,228 miles —may be classified as follows : 11,066 miles used exclusively for telephone toll traffic, 14,532 miles exclusively for telegraphic traffic, and 25,630 miles used simultaneously for telephone toll and telegraphic traffic. The total length of wire available for telephone toll, traffic is therefore 36,696 miles; the total length available for the transmission of telegrams, 40,162 miles ; the length of wire gained for telegraphic, transmission by superimposing, 9,176 miles ; and toll lines over which telegrams are transmitted by telephone, 16,455 miles. Phantom circuits were increased by 230 miles, and superimposed circuits by 430 miles. During the year 3,361 miles of telegraph and inter-urban telephone lines were overhauled and in some instances reconstructed. From the 510 private wires and subsidized linos the amount of rent and maintenance received was £4,509. New Zealand Submarine-cable Service. The length of submarine cable in use in the Dominion is 416 knots. Three faults occurred in the Cook Strait cables, but were quickly repaired. Ocean Cable Services. The cable business during the year shows an increase in the number sent to and received from all places beyond New Zealand.

Mil 3s of Pole Li ine. Miles of Wiro. Yoar ended 31st March, 1920. Year ended 31st March, 1921. Increase. Year ended Year ended 31st Maroli, 31st March, 1920. 1921. Increase. Telegraph and inter-urban telephone Telephone-exchange plant 13,689 5,111 13,723 5,441 34 330 50,634 51,228 177,510 192,027 228,144 243,255 594 14,517 Totals. ... 18,800 19,164 364 15,111