26

F.—l

TELEPHONE STATISTICS. The manner in which the exchanges are classified, the number of exchanges in each class, and the number of stations connected therewith on the 31st March last, are shown in the following table :—

In addition to the above there are 4,263 stations connected by private telephone-lines with departmental toll stations, and 414 stations connected with non-departmental rural exchanges, which do not have communication with tho departmental systemi, making a grand total of 111,441 telephone-stations on the 31st March, 1924. The following table shows, for each class of exchange, the percentage of business and residential stations, also the percentage of individual and party-lino stations : —

The number of party lines now stands at 7,635, with a total of 27,467 stations connected therewith —an increase of 992 anel 3,314 respectively on the figures for last year. Despite the lack of switchboard accommodation at a number of the larger exchanges, a factor which affected to a groat extent the joining-up of new subscribers, the new connections made during the year totalled 11,135, a number which has not been exceeded in any previous year. Of the new connections 2,550 were with Class I exchanges, 1,596 with Class II exchanges, 1,592 with Class HI exchanges, and 5,397 with Class IV exchanges. The waiting-list at these exchanges now stands at 1,265, 394, 579, and 1,848 respectively : total, 4,086 —a reduction of 120 on the figures for the year ended 31st March, 1923. Although the waiting-list has not been greatly reduced, a number equivalent to those now waiting are provided with telephone connections every four months, so that, except at comparatively few exchanges where conditions are abnormal, applicants have not been waiting for telephone service more than four months. The waiting-list includes 700 applicants for connections at telephone exchanges authorized, but not yet opened ; tho figures for the previous year under this heading were 676. The number of subscribers' stations (main and extension) connected with each of the twelve principal exchanges on the 31st March, 1924, was —Wellington, 12,751 ; Auckland, 11,697; Christchurch, 9,238 ; Dunedin, 6,453 ; Wanganui, 2,750 ; Hamilton, 2,370 ; Gisborne, 2,368 ; Invercargill, 2,304 ; Napier, 2,285 ; Palmerston North, 2,196 ; Hastings, 2,163 ; Masterton, 1,640.

Class I. Exchanges or Networks observing Continuous Attendance anel having more than 3,500 Paying Subscribers' Main i Stations connected therewith Class II. Class III. Exchanges or Net-; Exchanges or Networks observing j works observing Class IV. Continuous 1 Continuous Exchanges Attendance and [ Attendance and or Networks Dominion having 1,01)1 to having 201 to where the Totals, 3,500 Paying 1,000 faying Attendance Subscribers' Main, Subscribers' Main is restricted. Stations con- | Stations connected therewith, nected therewith. Subscribers'main stations .. 29,297 Toll and service stations .. 543 Public call offices .. .. 284 Extension stations — P.B.X 3,856 Ordinary .. .. .. 6,161 < i 18,371 17,355 21,582 86,605 416 699 2,218 3,906 57 27 3 371 857 254 64 5,031 2,524 1,351 815 10,851 22,225 19,686 24,712 106,764 11 41 271 327 Telephone stations : Class totals .. 40,141 22,225 Number of exchanges in each class 4 11 Percentage of new connections made 23% with each class of exchange during the year 23% 14% 14% 49%

Percentage of Class I Class II Glass III, Class IV Dominion Exchanges. Exchanges. Exchanges. Exchanges. Percentages. Business stations Residential stations 48 36 33 27 37 52 64 67 73 63 100 100 100 100 100 Individual-line stations Party- and rural-line stations 83 17 75 25 61 39 46 54 68 . 32 100 100 100 100 100