POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT (REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR 1926-27.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1927 Session I, F-01

F.—l

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR 1926-27.

CONTENTS. PAGE PAGE Receipts and Payments .. .. 1,9 Appeal Board .. .. .. 10 Staff .. .. .. .. 1, 10 Departmental Correspondence Classes .. 10 Money-orders .. .. .. 2 Examinations .. .. .. 10 Savings-bank.. .. .. .. 2 " Householder" Circulars .. .. 12 Overseas Mails .. .. .. 2, 11 Missing Postal Packets .. .. 13 Marine Post-office . . .. .. 2 Postmarking-machines .. .. 13 Inland Mail-services .. .. .. 2, 12 Graphs showing Number of Cars, ComRural Deliveries .. .. ..2,12 mercial Vehicles, and Cycles registered Inspection of Post-offices . . .. 3 each Month from April, 1925, to March, Interruption of Mail-services and Telegraph 1927 .. .. .. .. 14 and Toll Traffic .. .. .. 3 Workshops .. .. .. 15 International Telegraph Conference .. 3, 19 Stores Branch .. .. .. 15 Machine-printing Telegraphs .. .. 3, 25 Marine Insurance Fund .. .. 16 Telephone-exchange Service .. .. 3, 32 Articles delivered .. .. .. 16 Automatic Telephone - exchange Develop- Average Number of Letters posted per ment .. .. .. .. 3 Unit of Population .. .. 16 Inter-Island Telephone Communication .. 4, 24 Number of Post-offices in Dominion .. 16 Tariff for Trunk Line Calls .. .. 4, 25 Undeliverable Postal Packets .. .. 16 Public Call Offices .. .. .. 4, 38 Graph showing Number of Postal Packets Duplication of Pacific Cable .. ..4,21 posted in the Dominion, 1900, 1910,1913, Proposed Amendment of Constitution of 1916, 1919, and 1922 to 1926 .. 17 Pacific Cable Board .. .. 4, 22 Miscellaneous Postal Figures .. .. 18 Representation of New Zealand Govern- Prohibited Postal Packets .. .. 18 ment on Pacific Cable Board .. .. 5, 22 Register of Newspapers and Magazines .. 18 Pacific Cable Board Appointment .. 5, 22 Postage-stamps . . .. .. 18 Reductions in Cable Rates .. .. 5, 22 Discount-stamps .. .. .. 18 International Radio - telegraph Confer- British Empire Reply Coupons .. 18 ence .. .. .. .. 5, 28 Stamp-vending Machines .. .. 19 Radio Telephone Broadcasting .. .. 5 Customs Parcels .. .. .. 19 Private Radio Stations .. .. 5, 31 Postal Notes .. .. .. 19 Renewal of Radio Licenses .. .. 5, 32 British Postal Orders .. .. 19 Interference with Radio Broadcasting .. 6, 31 Telegraph and Toll Services .. .. 19 Erection of Wireless Aerials .. .. 6, 32 Telegraph and Telephone arrangements in Establishment of Radio Beacon Station .. 6, 30 connection with the Visit of Their Royal British Official Wireless Messages .. 6, 30 Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Weather Reports from Ships at Sea .. 6, 30 York .. .. .. 19 Work performed for other Departments .. 6 Automatic Stamping-machine Impressions 20 Work for Census and Statistics Depart- Telegraph Attendance.. .. 20 ment .. .. •. • • 6 Exchange of Weather Telegrams .. 20 Registration of Births, Deaths, and Mar- Charge for Inland Multiple Telegrams .. 20 riages .. .. .. •. 7 Telegrams from Members of the General Motor-registration .. .. .. 7, 13 Assembly to Chatham Islands .. 20 Motor Transport .. .. .. 7, 15 Telegraph-circuit Arrangements between Creation of Stores Division .. .. 7 Wellington and Greymouth .. .. 20 Opening of Stores Branches at Christchurch Private Morse-telegraph Circuit .. 20 and Dunedin .. .. .. 7 Distribution of Press to Midnight Offices 20 Buildings .. .. .. .. 8, 10 Telegraph Money-order Service between Visit of Their Royal Highnesses the Duke New Zealand and Fiji .. .. 21 and Duchess of York .. .. 8 Inland Letter-telegrams .. .. 21 Appointment of Permanent Head .. 8 Telegraph and Telephone Offices open for Details of Revenue, &c. .. .. 8 Business .. .. .. 21

i—F. 1.

F.—l

II

CONTENTS—continued. PAGE PAGE Telegraph and Toll Traffic .. .. 21 Proposed Short-wave Service between New Cable Services .. .. 21 Zealand and the Pacific Islands .. 29 Restoration of Week-end Cable Service 23 Opening of Radio-stations in Pacific Cable Traffic . . .. .. 23 Islands .. .. .. _ .. 29 Extensions to Toll and Telegraph Systems 23 Value of Radio-telegraphy to Ships in Toll Communication between Kingston and Distress .. •• Queenstown 25 Examination for Ship Operators Cert inEffect of High-tension Lines .. .. 25 cates .. .. .. .. 30 ~ . , it ok Reception of Trans-Atlantic Radio ieleMaintenance of Lines .. .. 2iD , es an< * ire '' '' " 26 Establishment of Beam Radio Service Table showing Class and Number of Tele- between Great Britain and Canada .. 31 graph Instruments and Batteries in use Radio Telepllon e Broadcasting .. 31 at Telegraph Offices for the Year ended Dunedin Exhibition Broadcasting-station 32 31st March, 1927 .. .. 27 Radio Receiving-apparatus for the Use of New Zealand Submarine Cables .. 28 the Duke and Duchess of York .. 32 Wireless Services .. .. 28 Telephone Statistics .. .. 33, 35 New Zealand Coast Stations Equipment, Graph showing Telephone Development in Operation, &c. .. .. .. 28 New Zealand 1910 to 1927 .. .. 34 Wireless Telegraph and Telephone Com- Automatic Telephone Exchanges .. 36 munication between Auckland Harbour Technical Development of Telephone and and Tiritiri .. .. 29 Telegraph Engineering .. .. 38 (Interleaved are illustrations of repeater equipment in connection with the inter-Island telephone communication ; the " Crossley " car used by T.R.H. the Duke and Duchess of York during the greater part of the Royal visit; the fleet of " Crossley " cars used in connection with the Royal toui of the Dominion ; and the Marton Post-office, together with graphs indicating departmental revenue and expenditure.) APPENDIX. PAGE Designation of Offices changed .. .. .. .. .. .. •. .. 39 Cable Business .. .. .. .. .. . • • • • • .. 39 Radio Telegrams .. .. .. .. .. .. .. • • .. 40 (For index see page iii'and for Detailed Index see pages iv-vi.)

1

III

TABLE S. No. I.—Money-orders issued and payable— pase (a.) Issued in the Dominion ... ... ... ... ... 40 (b.) Drawn on the Dominion ... ... ... ... ... ... 40 No. 2.—Number and Value of Postal Notes sold ... ... ... ... ... 41 No. 3. —Number and Amount of Transactions at the Money-order Offices and Post Office Savings-banks in New Zealand ... ... ... ... 42 No. 4.—General Statement of Post Office Savings-bank Business for Year ended 31st March, 1927 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 43 No. 5. —General Statement of Post Office Savings-bank Business from 1867 to 1927 ... 44 No. 6. —Post Office Savings-bank Receipts and Payments for Year ended 31st March, 1927 45 No. 7.—Estimated Number of Letters and Letter-cards, Post-cards, Book-packets, Newspapers, and Parcels dealt with ... ... ... ... 46 No. 8. —Registered Articles ... ... ... ... ... ••• 47 No. 9.—Parcel-post ... ... ... ... ... ... 47 No. 10. —Comparative Table showing the Progress of the Telegraph Department and Revenue received for each Class of Message ... ... ... ... 48 No. 11. —Revenue derived from Toll Calls and Paid Telegrams in respective Postal Districts ... ... ... ... ... ... ••• 49

ii—F. 1.

P.—i.

DETAILED INDEX. A. PAGE G. PAGE Appeal Board .. .. .. 10 Government motor service .. .. .. 15 Articles delivered .. .. .. 16 Graphs— Appointment by Pacific Cable Board .. .. 5,22 Cars registered .. .. .. 14 Appointment of permanent head . . .. 8 Commercial vehicles registered .. .. 14 Automatic stamping-machine impressions .. 20 Motor-cycles registered .. .. .. 15 Automatic telephone exchange, equipment in use .. 38 Postal packets posted .. .. .. 17 Automatic-telephone-exchange installations, &c. 3, 36,37 Postal revenue .. .. .. .. 8 Post and Telegraph expenditure .. .. 8 Post and Telegraph revenue .. .. .. 8 B. Telegraph and toll revenue .. .. .. 8 . . Telephone development, in New ZeaJand .. 34, Births, Deaths, and Marriages, Registration of . . 7 Telephone revenue .. .. .. .. 8 Book-packets.posted and delivered .. .. 46 British Empire reply coupons .. .. .. 18 British official wireless messages .. .. 6, 30 British postal orders sold, &c. ...... 19 H. Broadcasting— Elimination of interference .. .. 31 Health of staff .. .. .. .. 10 Interference with .. ... ... 6 " Householder" circulars .. .. .. 12"; Radio-telephone .. .. .. .. 5, 31 Shifting of Dunedin Exhibition station .. 32 Buildings .... .. .. .. 8, 10 I. Business done for other Departments .. .. 6 Inland letter-telegrams .. .. 21 Inland mail-services (see " Mail-services "). C. Inland multiple telegram, charge for .. .. 20 Inspection of post-offices .. .. .. 3 Cable messages— Insurance Fund, Marine .. .. .'. 16 Deferred .. .. .. .. .. 23 Interference with radio-broadcasting .. .. 6 Intercolonial traffic .. .. .. ..23,39 Inter-Island telephone communication .. ..4,24 International traffic .. ... .. .. 23, 39 International Radio-telegraph Conference .. 5, 28 Number .. .. .. .. .. 23, 39 International Telegraph Conference .. .. 3,19 Press .. .. .. .. 23 Reduced rates .. .. .. .. 5,22 Restoration of week-end service .. .. 23 Value .. .. .. .. 39 L. Week-end .. .. .. .... 23 Cables— Leave, sick .. .. . . .. .. 10 Eastern Extension (see " Eastern Extension cable "). Letters and letter-cards— New Zealand .. .. .. 28 Dead, dealt with .. .. .. 16 Pacific (see " Pacific Cable "). »' proportion to number delivered .. .. 16 Cable services .. .. .. 21 Delivered .. .. .. .. 16 Census and Statistics Department, work performed for 6 Imperfectly or insufficiently addressed .. 18 Circulars, " Householder" .. .. 12 Missing .. .. .. . . .. 13 Classes, departmental correspondence .. .. 10 Posted and delivered .. .. 46 Cook Strait telephone cable .. .. .. 4, 24 Posted : Average number per head of population 16 Correspondence prohibited .. .. 18 „ unaddressed .. .. .. 18 Creation of Stores Division .. .. .. 7 „ with previously used stamps .. .. 18 Customs parcels .. .. •. .. 19 Registered, unclaimed .. .. . . 18 With libellous addresses .. .. . . 18 Letter-telegrams (inland) .. .. 21 D. Licenses, radio: Renewal .. .. .. 5,32 Dead-letters .. .. .. .. 16, 18 Departmental Correspondence Classes .. .. 10 Departmental motor-vehicles .. .. ..15 M. Designation of offices changed .. .. 39 Discount-stamps .. .. .. 18 Machine-printing telegraphs .. .. .. 3,25 Magazines registered .. .. .. ... 18 „ removed from register .. .. 18 E. Mail-services — Inland .. .. .. .. .. 2, 12 Eastern Extension cable — Interruption of .. .. .. .. 3 Number. and percentage of messages forwarded Overseas .. .. .. .. .. 2, 11 and received .. .. .. 23 Overseas, fire on steamer .. .. .. 12 Press cablegrams .. .. .. 23 Rural .. .. . • . • .. 2, 12 Share of business .. .. • • 23 Marine Insurance Eund .. .. .. 16 Establishment of Stores Marine post-office .. .. .. .. 2 and Dunedin .. ■ • • • • • 7 Missing postal packets .. .. .. 13 Examinations .. •• •• ..10 Money-order—-Exchanges, telephone (see " Telephone exchanges "). Exchange with Fiji by telegraph .. .. 21 Expenditure of Department .. .. .. 1, 9 Exchange with other countries .. .. 40 Issued and paid .. .. .. .. 2, 40 Number of transactions .. .. 42 F. Morse telegraph circuit, private .. .. 20 Motor registration .. .. .. .. 7, 13 Financial operations, statement of .. .. 9 „ service, Government .. .. .. 15 Fire, outbreak on ship .. .. 12 ~ transport .. .. .. . • 7

IV

F.—l

V

N. PAGE PAGE Newspapers— Radio Telegraph Conference .. .. .. 5, 28 Posted and delivered .. .. 46 Radio-telegraphy: Value to ships in distress .. 29 Received without address .. .. .. 18 Radio-telephone: Broadcasting .. .. 31 Registered .. .. .. .. .. 18 Radio-telephony: Trans-Atlantic, reception of .. 30 Removed from register .. .. .. 18 Receipts and payments .. .. .. 1, 9 Returned to publishers .. .. .. 18 Registered articles .. .. .. 47 New Zealand Government, representation on Pacific Registration of Births, Deaths, and Marriages .. 7 Cable Board .. .. .. .. 5, 22 Reply coupons : British Empire .. .. 18 Revenue of Department ~ .. .. 1, 9 Rural mail-services .. .. .. ~ 2,12 0. Ocean cable services (see " Cable messages," S. " Pacific cable," &e.). Officers — Salaries .. .. .. .. 9 Absence on sick-leave, average .. .. 10 San Francisco mail-service .. .. .. II Death of .. .. .. .. .. 10 Savings-bank—■ Health .. . . .. .. .. 10 Balances at credit of depositors .. .. 2 Number .. .. .. .. 10 Deposits: Amount, &c. .. .. 2, 42, 43, 44 Offices (see under "Post," "Telegraph," &c.). Excess of withdrawals over deposits .. 2,'42, 43 ~ designation changed .. .. .. 39 Interest .. .. .. .. 43, 44 Overseas mails .. .. .. ..2,11 Liabilities and assets .. .. .. 46 Number of depositors .. .. .. 2 Offices open, &c. .. .. .. .. 43, 44 P. Profit and Loss Account .. .. 45 Pacific cable— Receipts and payments .. .. .. 45 Appointment by Board .. .. .. 5, 22 Reserve Fund Account .. .. 45 Board, representation of New Zealand Govern- Securities .. .. . . .. 45 ment on .. .. .. .. .. 5, 22 Transactions .. .. .. 2, 42, 43, 44 Board, proposed amendment of constitution of 4, 22 Withdrawals ~ .. .. 2, 42, 43, 44 Duplication .. .. .. .. 4, 21 Secretary: Retirement .. .. .. 8 Number and percentage of messages forwarded and Slot telephones .. .. .. .. 4, 38 received .. .. .. .. 23 Staff — Press telegrams .. .. .. 23 Casual .. .. .. .. 10 Share of business .. .. .. 23 Health .. .. .. .. 10 Packets alleged to have been posted and not delivered 13 Minister's remarks concerning .. .. 1 Packets unclaimed, auction of .. ... .. 18 Number .. .. .. .. 10 Parcels— Personnel .. .. .. .. 10 Customs parcels .. .. .. 19 Stamps: Discount .. .. .. 18 Delivered .. .. .. .. .. 16, 46 Stamps : New issues, &c. .. .. .. 18 Despatched overseas .. .. 47 Stamp-vending machines .. . . .. 19 Foreign (inwards), declared value of, and Customs Stores Branch .. .. . . 15 duty collected on.. .. .. .. 19 Stores Branches, opening of, at Christchurch and Foreign (outwards), declared value of 19 Dunedin .. .. .. .. .. 7 Posted and delivered .. .. 46 Stores Division, creation of .. .. .. 7 Received from overseas .. .. ..47 Stores purchased for othei Departments .. .. 16 Permanent head: Appointment . . .. 8 Submarine cables, New Zealand .. .. 28 Postage-stamp-vending machine .. 19 Postage-stamps . . .. .. 18 Postal notes — T. Commission .. .. .. 19 Sold .. .. .. .. .. 19, 41 Tariff for trunk-line calls .. .. .. 4, 25 Postal orders, British, sold .. .. .. 19 Technical development of telegraph and telephone Postal packets missing.. .. .. .. 13 engineering .. .. .. .. 38 Postal packets prohibited .. .. .. 18 Telegrams— Postal packets undeliverable .. .. .. 16 Automatic stamping-machine impression on .. 20 Post-cards — From members of the General Assembly to ChatDelivered .. .. .. .. .. 16,46 ham Islands .. .. .. 20 Posted .. .. .. .. ..46 Government: Number and value .. ..48,49 Post-marking machines .. .. 13 Increase in number .. .. .. 21 Post-offices — Inland letter .. .. .. ..21,48 Closed .. .. .. .. .. 16 Inland multiple, charge for .. .. .. 20 Designation changed .. .. 39 Of all codes .. .. .. . .21,49 Established .. .. .. 16 Ordinary: Number and value .. . .21,48 Inspection .. .. .. .. .. 3 Ordinary: Per unit of population .. .. 21 Number .. .. .. .. 16 Per 100 letters .. .. .. 21 Press telegrams: Distribution to midnight offices .. 20 Press .. .. .. .. ..21,48 Private radio-stations .. .. .. .. 5, 31 Press : Distribution to midnight offices .. 20 Prohibited postal packets .. .. .. 18 Urgent .. .. .. .. ..21,48 Public call offices .. .. .. .. 4, 38 Weather, exohange of .. .. 20 Telegraph— Amount of business .. .. .. 21, 48, 49 R. Arrangement of circuit between Wellington and Greymouth .. .. .. 20 Radio beacon station: Erection .. .. 6, 30 Attendance .. .. .. 20 Radio broadcasting .. .. .. .. 5 Engineering, technical development of .. .. 38 Radio broadcasting, interference with .. .. 6 International Conference .. .. .. 3, 19 Radio communications — Lines— Between Auckland Harbour and Tiritiri .. 29 Length of, erected, &c. .. .. 26 © Business transacted .. .. .. 40 Maintenance of .. .. 25 Radio licenses, renewal .. .. .. 5, 32 Poles and wire .. .. .. 26 Radio: Private stations .. .. .. 5, 31 Superimposed .. .. .. 26 Radio-receiving apparatus for use of Duke and Telegraph and toll traffic .. .. 26 Duchess of York .. .. .. 32 Machine printing .. .. .. .. 3, 25 Radio : Renewal of licenses .. .. .. 5, 32 Money-order service between New Zealand and Radio-telegrams: Number and value .. .. 40 Fiji .. .. .. .. 21 Radio-stations : Opening of new stations in Pacific Number of telegraph instruments and batteries in Islands .. .. .. .. 29 use .. .. .. .. 27

F.-l

VI

PAGE U. PAG 6 Telegraph—continued Offices open, &c. ~ .. ». .. 21 Unclaimed packets, auction of .. .. .. 18 Private Morse circuit .. .. .. 20 Undelivered postal packets .. .. I 16 Receipts and payments .. .. .. 9, 48 Revenue .. .. .. 9, 21, 48, 49 System, machine-printing .. .. .. 3, 25 Telegraph Conference .. .. .. 3, 19 y # Telegraph and toll-line systems— Arrangements in connection with the visit of Their T7 . Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Vancouver mad-service .. .. .. 11 York 19 Visit of Their Royal Highnesses the Duks and Effect of high-tension lines .. .. .. 25 Duchess of York Extensions .. .. .. 23 Inter-Island toll service .. .. .. 4, 24 Interruption of .. .. 3 w Telegraph and toll traffic : Number and value 21 Telephone— Cable, Cook Strait .. .. .. .. 4, 24 Weather reports from ships at sea .. .. 6, 30 Engineering, technical development of 38 Weather telegrams, exchange of .. 20 Exchanges— Wireless — Automatic .. .. .. . .36, 37 Beam service between Great Britain and Canada 31 Automatic development .. .. .. 3 British official messages .. .. .. 6, 30 Automatic private branch .. .. .. 37 Broadcasting .. .. .. .. 5 Connections : Proportion to population .. 33 Broadcasting, interference with .. .. 6 Extension of system .. .. .. 23, 24 Communication between Auckland Harbour and Interphone installations .. .. .. 37 Tiritiri .. .. .. .. 29 Line, length of, erected, &c. .. 33, 35 International Conference .. .. .. 5, 28 New .. .. .. .. 32 Dunedin Exhibition, broadcasting-station . . 32 Number in each class .. .. .. 33 Elimination of interference to broadcast listeners 31 Number of telephone-stations in each engineer- Equipment, operation, &c., of New Zealand coast ing district .. .. .. 35 stations .. .. .. .. .. 28,29 Opened .. .. .. .. 32 Erection of aerials .. .. .. .. 6, 32 Principal exchanges .. .. .. 35 Erection of radio-beacon station .. .. 6, 30 Revenue .. .. .. .. 9, 48 Examination for ship operator's certificates .. 30 Service .. .. .. . . .. 3, 32 Failure to renew licenses .. .. .. 32 Statistics .. .. .. 33 Opening of new stations in Pacific Islands .. 29 Subscribers' connections .. .. .. 33 Private radio-stations .. .. .. 5, 31 Metallic circuits erected .. .. 33 Proposed short-wave service between New ZeaOffices open for business .. .. .. 21 land and Pacific Islands .. .. .. 29 Public call offices .. .. .. .. 4, 38 Radio-receiving apparatus for use of Duke and Statistics .. . . . . 33 Duchess of York .. .. .. 32 Tariff for trunk-line calls .. .. .. 4, 25 Reception of trans-Atlantic radio-telephony .. 30 Toll circuits, new .. .. .. 24 Renewal of licenses .. .. .. .. 5, 32 „ communications .. .. .. . .21, 48 Value to ships in distress .. .. .. 29 „ communications per unit of population .. 21 Weather reports from ships at sea .. .. 6, 30 „ communication between Kingston and Telegraphy .. .. .. .. 28-32 Queenstown .. .. .. 25 Work performed for Census and Statistics Department 6 Toll traffic : line available .. .. .. 26 Work performed for other Departments .. .. 6 Trunk-line calls, tariff for .. .. .. 4, 25 Workshops .. .. .. .. .. 15

1

1927. NEW ZEALAND.

POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT (REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR 1926-27.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency•

To His Excellency the Right Honourable Charles Fergusson, Baronet ; General on the Retired List and in the Reserve of Officers of His Majesty's Army ; Doctor of Laws ; Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George ; Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath ; Companion of the Distinguished Service Order ; Member of the Royal Victorian Order. May it please Your Excellency,— I have the honour to submit to Your Excellency the report of the Post and Telegraph Department for the year ended 31st March, 1927. RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS. It is a source of gratification to be able to record that, while the receipts of the Department showed an increase over those for the previous year, the payments were less than those for 1925-26. Actually the receipts amounted to £120,270 more than for 1925-26, and the payments to £63,282 less. The receipts for 1926-27 exceeded the payments by £874,392. It is obvious that with a growing Department in a growing country such as New Zealand the expenditure can be curtailed or kept down only by constant vigilance on the part of departmental officers ; and, having in view the fact that the expenditure for 1925-26 was £6,701 less than that for 1924-25, the further reduction of £63,282 in the year just closed must be regarded as particularly satisfactory. STAFF. The Department's reputation for efficiency was well maintained during the year The fact that receipts showed an increase over those for the preceding year, while payments were less than those for 1925-26, can be said to be due in no small measure to general staff efficiency. With the widespread ramifications so characteristic of my Department, it is only by having the loyal and efficient co-operation of the staff as a whole that the work is able to be carried on. It is the constant endeavour of the Department to give prompt and efficient service to the public, and judging from the absence of serious complaint during the year and from the letters of commendation that are received from time to time, the Departments endeavour is not falling short of the goal to which it aspires. My Department was largely concerned in the transport arrangements, as well as in providing the necessary communication facilities, in connection with the tour of the Dominion of Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York. As mentioned elsewhere in the report, His Royal Highness himself, as well as his Private Secretary, expressed appreciation of the departmental facilities provided for the use of the Royal party. It may be said that the expeditious and efficient manner in which the work of all branches proceeded during the Royal visit, despite the exigencies inseparable from such occasions, has further enhanced the reputation of the Department.

1— F. 1.

1

2

MONEY-ORDERS. The money-order system still provides one of the foremost means of remitting amounts, large or small. The orders issued exceeded those issued in the previous year by 26,500 in number and £56,000 in value. An arrangement was made during the year under which amounts for payment at places in Europe to which money-orders from New Zealand are sent through the intermediary of the London Post - office can be telegraphed to London and posted thence to destination. This should prove a useful means of making urgent remittances. SAVINGS-BANK. Despite the fact that the withdrawals exceeded the deposits, it is gratifying to report that the excess of withdrawals was less by £75,639 than the excess for the previous year. An increase of 25,672 in the number of accounts open on the 31st March, 1927, compared with the number open on the 31st March, 1926, evidences the continued popularity of the Post Office Savings-bank, and the desire for thrift of the people of the Dominion. The number of depositors on the 31st March was 783,827, and the total amount at their credit £48,985,502. OVERSEAS MAILS. The Vancouver and San Francisco mail-contract steamers continued to run with regularity, and mails between New Zealand and Great Britain were despatched and received with the customary expedition. On two occasions, owing to particularly good connections being made, the time occupied in transmission between New Zealand and London via San Francisco was only twenty-seven days. MARINE POST-OFFICE. The marine post-offices on the mail-steamers " Aorangi," " Niagara," " Makura," and " Tahiti," which voyage between New Zealand and Vancouver, and between New Zealand and San Francisco, continued to effect savings in time (from twelve to twenty-four hours) in the delivery of correspondence from overseas. The operation of the marine post - offices also enables outward correspondence to be posted up to a late hour and still to connect with the steamers. INLAND MAIL-SERVICES. A second daily mail-service (letters only) was inaugurated between Napier and Gisborne, thus affording the latter town means of postal communication more in keeping with its importance. An innovation was the undertaking by my Department of the work of delivering and collecting railway parcels in Wellington. The work had previously been done by a private contractor. RURAL DELIVERIES. The policy of my Department in respect of rural-mail deliveries has been more than justified. These services are popular with the farmer, and numerous requests have been received for additional deliveries. Occasionally, owing to the sparsely settled nature of a district, to a lack of good roads, or to some other disability, it has not been possible to grant an application for rural-delivery facilities. Whenever practicable, however, such requests are agreed to even in cases in which it is known that the granting of the delivery will involve a loss for the Department. It is claimed that in the more closely settled rural areas postal facilities at least equal to those of the smaller towns have been provided. While it is not always possible to arrange the frequency desired, my Department is invariably prepared to improve the conditions of the remote settler by providing him with reasonable postal facilities. It is recognized that the time that would be taken by a farmer in journeying to and from the nearest post-office can be more profitably employed on his farm. With rural deliveries the time of the farmer is saved, and this more than compensates him for the annual expenditure of £l or 10s. in the rural-delivery fee. The fee varies according to the frequency of the delivery. As a result of the extension of the rural-delivery system, many small country post-offices have been permanently closed. From a national viewpoint the rural-delivery system is economically sound.

iW.

INSPECTION OF POST-OFFICES. During 1926, 1,318 visits of inspection were made to post-offices, an audit of the accounts being carried out at each inspection. On no occasion was any serious deficiency in the official cash disclosed. INTERRUPTION OF MAIL - SERVICES AND TELEGRAPH AND TOLL TRAFFIC. Heavy floods on the west coast of the South Island in October-November, 1926, seriously affected the mail-services and caused the complete isolation of a large area from telegraphic and telephonic communication. During the height of the floods use was made of the wireless installation on board a steamer at Westport to apprise other places of the condition of affairs. INTERNATIONAL TELEGRAPH CONFERENCE. An International Telegraph Conference was held at Paris in the latter part of 1925, and New Zealand was represented by Captain T. E. Donne, late of the High Commissioner's Office, London. Alterations in the regulations consequent upon the Conference came into force on the Ist November, 1926. The modification causing most concern to users of the cable service is the restriction placed upon the use of figures and commercial marks in the cheaper classes of cable messages. My Department is, however, interpreting the new regulation in such a manner as to cause the minimum of inconvenience, and to permit of the maximum use of the lower rates. At these International Conferences matters of the utmost importance are decided, and it is desirable, therefore, that in the case of future Telegraph Conferences the question of sending a qualified officer from the Dominion to represent this Administration be seriously considered. MACHINE-PRINTING TELEGRAPHS. It is satisfactory to record that the introduction of machine-printing telegraphs has proved an unqualified success. In conformity with its policy of keeping abreast of the times and adapting to its needs the most modern developments in telegraph apparatus, my Department has felt justified in extending the system to Wanganui and Napier. As traffic and other circumstances warrant, it is hoped to make the machine-printed telegram a feature of other offices. Fuller information regarding machine-printing telegraphs is given at page 25. TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE SERVICE. A feature of the work of the year was the progressive development of the telephone-exchange system. In following out the policy of making telephoneexchange service as attractive as possible, every facility is afforded settlers in country areas to form rural lines, comprising up to ten subscribers, for connection with telephone exchanges. It is a constant endeavour to place this practically indispensable adjunct of society within easy reach of the bulk of the population not only in the cities but in the rural areas as well. AUTOMATIC-TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE DEVELOPMENT. The telephone exchanges at Takapuna and Hawera have been converted from manual to automatic working, and the work of converting several other important exchanges is now in train. It is hoped to convert the exchanges at Stratford, Dannevirke, and Dunedin in the near future, and subscribers to these exchanges can look forward to a greatly improved service. I regret that the change at Dunedin has been delayed so long, but subscribers can rest assured that after the cut-over the service will be equal to any in the world. While my Department is

3

F.—l

4

anxious to afford as many subscribers as possible the benefits of the automatic system, it is not at present expedient, on account of the cost and the radical alterations necessary, to convert to automatic working those exchanges that are still capable of giving efficient service. INTER-ISLAND TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION. It is the intention to extend the facilities for inter-Island telephone communication. A special trunk telephone circuit is now in the course of erection between Christchurch and Seddon, and special telephone repeating-apparatus is to be installed at Seddon and Wellington. The completion of these works will considerably enlarge the area of inter-Island communication. Direct communication will be possible between Christchurch on the one hand, and Auckland, Napier, Wanganui, and Wellington on the other. In addition, subscribers in the Nelson and Marlborough Provinces will be afforded direct communication with many of the principal exchanges in the North Island. The apparatus for repeating speech will prove a great boon, and will enable subscribers in different Islands to hear one another as well as if they were conversing in the same town. TARIFF FOR TRUNK-LINE CALLS. A concession has been given in the tariff for toll communications by permitting half rates to operate from 8 p.m. Formerly half rates operated from 9 p.m. It has also been found possible to reduce the rates for long-distance calls beyond 150 miles. This reduction will be of special benefit over such distances as between Auckland and Christchurch. PUBLIC CALL OFFICES. Associated with the general increase in telephone-exchange subscribers has been an increased demand for public call offices. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to grant all the applications that have been received, but installations have been made where the need was considered to be most pressing. It has been decided to adopt more permanent and enduring types of cabinet, and in future the construction will be of concrete, steel, or wood, according to the particular location. The revenue derived from public call offices shows a considerable increase over that for the previous year. DUPLICATION OF PACIFIC CABLE. The scheme of the Pacific Cable Board to provide a second cable channel between Canada and New Zealand and Australia was brought to fruition on the 22nd November, 1926, when the duplicated cable between Suva (Fiji) and Bamfield (British Columbia) was opened for traffic. It is expected that the provision of this second outlet will relieve the congestion that has been in evidence for many years on the single cable channel across the Pacific. PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION OF PACIFIC CABLE BOARD. The constitution of the Pacific Cable Board came under discussion at the Imperial Conference last year, when the representatives of the Governments concerned agreed upon a scheme for a more equitable basis of representation on the Board. Tentative proposals also were made for a definite allocation to the associated Governments of profits from the undertaking, after setting aside a reasonable amount to a reserve fund. It is expected that the amendment of the Pacific Cable Act in these directions by the British Parliament will tend to remove any obstacles to the smooth and efficacious administration of the business of the Board.

5

P.—l

REPRESENTATION OF NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT ON PACIFIC CABLE BOARD. The Hon. Sir C. J. Parr, K.C.M.G., was appointed on the Ist August, 1926, to represent New Zealand on the Pacific Cable Board in place of the Hon. Sir James Allen, K.C.B. PACIFIC CABLE BOARD APPOINTMENT. The development of cable business in the Dominion has led the Pacific Cable Board to make new arrangements for the conduct of its affairs. It was found expedient to appoint a Business Manager exclusively for the Dominion. The new position was filled by the appointment of Mr. A. T. Markman, late Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department. REDUCTIONS IN CABLE RATES. Results of the increased cable facilities arising materially from the duplication of the Pacific cable have been a welcome reduction by both the Pacific and Eastern routes in the rates to Great Britain and Ireland, and an extension to the United States of America of the daily letter category of messages. In addition, the rates by the Pacific route to Canada and Newfoundland have been appreciably lowered. INTERNATIONAL RADIO-TELEGRAPH CONFERENCE. It is satisfactory to record that after several postponements arrangements are now in train for the holding of an International Radio-telegraph Conference. The gathering will take place at Washington in October, 1927, and my Department will be represented by the Chief Telegraph Engineer, Mr. A. Gibbs, M.I.E.E. Since the last International Conference, in 1912, communication by radio-telegraphy and radio-telephony has advanced so remarkably and has made such strides as an accepted means of communication that a co-ordination of international regulations has become an urgent need. The allotment of distinctive wave-lengths to different classes of radio-electric services is in particular expected to have a clarifying effect in the realm of radio-activity. RADIO-TELEPHONE BROADCASTING. In conformity with its agreement to erect and to maintain modern broadcasting stations at the four main centres the Radio Broadcasting Company of New Zealand, Ltd., has opened modern stations at Auckland and Christchurch. The Wellington station, now in course of erection, will, it is claimed, be in respect of aerial power the second most powerful broadcasting station in the Empire. It is expected that when the full service is in operation radio receiving will make in the Dominion the same wide popular appeal that it does in other countries. A very decided fillip to the general interest in radio receiving has been given by the opening of the first large stations. PRIVATE RADIO-STATIONS. The remarkable increase in radio receiving licenses, from 3,588 for the year ended the 31st March, 1926, to 18,162 for the year ended the 31st March, 1927, may be ascribed to the opening of large broadcasting stations at Auckland and Christchurch. It is reasonable to expect a much greater increase when the complete chain of broadcasting stations is in operation. RENEWAL OF RADIO LICENSES. It has been found necessary to amend the Radio Regulations in the direction of requiring every owner of radio apparatus who fails to renew a license expiring on the 31st March of any year to dismantle the apparatus within a stipulated period.

F.—l

6

INTERFERENCE WITH RADIO BROADCASTING. My Department is alive to the interests of radio licensees, and, in particular, is devoting a good deal of attention to the problem of freeing radio reception from interference. A special staff of Radio Inspectors has been instituted for the purpose of detecting unlicensed stations and of discovering sources of what may be termed " parasitic " interference from various electrical activities. As extraneous interference with radio reception is a phase of radio-activity in the overcoming of which all countries are concerned, it is not unlikely that the problem will receive close attention at the forthcoming International Radio-telegraph Conference. ERECTION OF WIRELESS AERIALS. The danger arising from the erection of wireless aerials in proximity to electricpower circuits has led to the making of regulations in the direction of requiring that wireless aerials shall be so erected as to preclude the possibility of contact with electric-power lines. Similar provision has been made for the protection of departmental circuits. ESTABLISHMENT OF RADIO BEACON STATION. A radio beacon has been installed on the island off Cape Maria Van Diemen on which the lighthouse is situated. BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS MESSAGES. Messages of general interest broadcast by the high-power wireless station at Rugby, England, are received by the Awarua Radio-station, and are supplied by the Prime Minister's Department to the United Press Association for distribution to newspapers. Except for occasional adverse atmospheric conditions, there is little hindrance to the regular reception of messages. WEATHER REPORTS FROM SHIPS AT SEA. Arrangements have been made for the reception at New Zealand radio coast stations of weather-report telegrams from ships at sea for the Meteorological Office. WORK PERFORMED FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS. Work for other Departments continues to form a large part of the duties of officers of my Department, the amount of money handled on behalf of other Departments during the year being approximately £25,000,000. Among items calling for special mention are payments made for the State Advances Department of approximately £7,000,000, and for the Public Trust Department of £1,050,000 ; also receipts of land-tax, £850,000, and income-tax, £1,600,000. While the amounts handled for the other Departments do not approximate those specially mentioned, nevertheless the number of transactions is large. In many cases —e.g., machinery fees— the sums range from amounts, as low as 2s. 6d. Not the least prominent work under this heading is the registration and licensing of motor-vehicles under the Motorvehicles Act of 1924. With the proven elasticity of the Post Office system of accounts, the heavy work entailed in dealing with the many thousands of motorvehicles has been handled with the minimum of difficulty. WORK FOR CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT. 111 April, 1926, the Dominion census was taken, and the Post Office again undertook, on behalf of the Census and Statistics Department, the distribution and collection of the census schedules. Postal officers also acted as District Enumerators. In addition, officers of my Department obtained borough, agricultural, and pastoral returns, a return of public libraries, and a return of meetingplaces of religious denominations, together with information as to the attendances at the services. The work was carried out to the entire satisfaction of the Government Statistician.

7

F.—l

REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS, DEATHS, AND MARRIAGES. In connection with the work done by the Post Office in registering births, deaths, and marriages, arrangements were made for my Department to retain, as from the Ist July, 1926, per cent, of the fees received. Formerly the rate of payment was 50 per cent, of the fees received. MOTOR REGISTRATION. The system of motor registration is still working very smoothly ; and, judging from the absence of complaints, it is not only meeting the requirements of the police and traffic officers, who have to investigate the ever-increasing number of accidents, breaches of by-laws, thefts, &c., but it is also proving to be of considerable value to motor-dealers and the general public. Tenders for the supply of registration-plates for the year 1927-28 (orange numerals on a black background) were invited from New Zealand manufacturers. The specifications called for plates to be made within the Dominion from materials of British origin. Only two tenders were received. The successful tenderer was the Precision Engineering Co., of Wellington, and it is gratifying to report that the contractor delivered the whole of the plates before the 31st January, 1927. Notwithstanding that arrangements to issue motor-vehicle plates for the year 1927-28 were completed by the Ist February, 1927, comparatively few vehicles were relicensed before the middle of March. In view of the publicity given to the early arrangements made to accommodate motor-owners it was anticipated that advantage would be taken of the facility to relicense vehicles early. The result was very disappointing, however, and the apathy of owners was responsible for a certain amount of avoidable congestion during the last week of March, 1927. MOTOR TRANSPORT. The policy of Government in the matter of purchasing vehicles of English manufacture is given effect to as far as possible. The majority of the vehicles at present employed by the Department for heavy transport are of English manufacture. These have proved very efficient, both for conveying mails and for telegraphline construction-work. The Department's light transport vehicles—l-ton trucks and J-ton utility trucks —are chiefly of Canadian manufacture. These vehicles have proved to be satisfactory for the work they are called upon to perform, frequently over the worst backblock roads in the Dominion. By way of trial, twelve 1-ton truck chassis and four light chassis of English manufacture were purchased during the year. It is hoped that the result will justify the purchase of additional vehicles of these types. As mentioned elsewhere in the report, the fleet of cars used in connection with the tour of the Dominion by Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York consisted wholly of cars of English manufacture. With a fleet of over five hundred vehicles the Department cannot expect to escape accidents. It is gratifying that none of the accidents which occurred during the year was of a serious nature. The purchase of vehicles on behalf of other Departments continues to be a function of my Department. CREATION OF STORES DIVISION. The reorganization of the Stores Branch has been carried another step by setting up in the Secretary's Office a division to purchase supplies and to arrange for the maintenance of necessary stocks at various points. The creation of the new division enables the permanent head of the Department to keep in closer touch with the more important aspects of stores work and to exercise closer supervi&icn over purchases. Purchases in Wellington on behalf of the smaller Departments are arranged by the Stores Division under the Stores Control Board Regulations. OPENING OF STORES BRANCHES AT CHRISTCHURCH AND DUNEDIN. In the report of last year reference was made to the opening of a Stores Branch at Auckland. Results clearly demonstrated that the system should be extended, and district stores have now been opened under Stores Managers at Christchurch and Dunedin. The Stores Manager, Christchurch, controls stores in the Canterbury District and on the west coast of the South Island, while the Stores Manager, Dunedin, controls stores in the Otago and Southland Districts, Under the new

F.—l

8

arrangement stores, particularly those of a bulky nature purchased overseas, can be consigned to the point at which they will be brought into use, thus effecting considerable savings in freight and handling charges. BUILDINGS. The increase each year in all branches of the Department's business is reflected in the continual demand for improved office accommodation. There are many places at which the need for additional space is urgent. The condition of certain buildings is such that the buildings should be replaced as soon as circumstances permit. But with the limited funds available each year all needed replacements cannot be made at once, and care is exercised to ensure that the erection of new buildings, &c., is dealt with strictly in order of urgency. To keep pace with the phenomenal increase in telephone-exchange subscribers it was necessary during the year to provide increased telephone-exchange accommodation at a number of places. A new building to house an automatic telephone exchange is now being erected at Miramar, while the erection of extensive additions to the exchange buildings at Courtenay Place (Wellington) and Wellesley Street (Auckland) is proceeding. My Department spends each year a substantial sum in the purchase of stores and equipment. Except in the case of the main store at Wellington, storage accommodation is provided mostly by means of a collection of sheds. The provision of suitable accommodation for stores at Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin will be dealt with as soon as the necessary funds are available. The steady increase in the use of departmental motor-vehicles necessitates the provision at different centres of suitable garages and workshops ; and in this connection every effort is being made to provide accommodation on modern lines, and to ensure that the equipment installed is up to date. VISIT OF THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF YORK. Very complete arrangements were made in connection with the visit of Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York, in order that the Royal party and entourage might be afforded full post, telegraph, and telephone facilities. At many offices the hours of attendance were extended, and special arrangements were made for handling the abnormal volume of press and other telegraph traffic inseparable from such visits of national importance. The organizing and supervising of motor transport in connection with the Royal tour was entrusted to my Department, which on account of its garages and workshops at Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin, and general organization throughout the Dominion, was well fitted to discharge this very important duty. Of the fleet of twenty-four cars of English make used on the tour, six were provided by my Department and the remainder by private enterprise. The personnel of the transport staff comprised twenty-four chauffeurs and two other officers from my Department. It is extremely gratifying to report that the staff responded loyally to the call for extra effort during the Royal visit, and thus fully maintained my Department's reputation for efficiency in meeting unusual situations. APPOINTMENT OF PERMANENT HEAD. Consequent upon the retirement of Mr. A. T. Markman, Secretary of the Department, the secretarial chair is now occupied by Mr. G. McNamara, formerly First Assistant Secretary. DETAILS OF REVENUE, ETC. Matters of detail with reference to the financial operations and business of the Department will be found at length in the statement and tables which follow. I have the honour to be, Your Excellency's most obedient servant, W. NOSWORTHY, Postmaster-General, General Post Office, Wellington.

POST AND TELEGRAPH REVENUE for Years 1902 to 1927 in Graphic Form

POST AND TELEGRAPH EXPENDITURE for Years 1902 to 1927 in Graphic Form

ANNUAL REVENUE. Postal, Telegraph (including Tolls), and Telephone Branches. For twelve years ended 31st March, 1927.

F.—1.

9

F.—l

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL OPERATIONS AND BUSINESS OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1927.

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS. The receipts and payments of the Department for the financial year 1926-27 are shown in the following table :—

Receipts and Payments for the Years 1881-82, 1891-92, 1901-2, 1911-12, and following Years.

•2—F. 1.

Item. Postal. Telegraph. Total. Receipts. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Postages .. .. .. .. .. •• 1,103,580 17 9£ .. 1,103,580 17 9J Money-order and postal-note commission .. .. 49,608 6 3 .. 49,608 6 3 Money-order commission received from foreign offices .. 954 19 7 .. 954 19 7 Private box and bag rents and rural, delivery fees .. 46,084 2 5 .. 46,084 2 5 Miscellaneous receipts .. .. .. .. 200,658 2 10 36,219 16 11 236,877 19 9 Paid telegrams .. .. .. •• •• •• 415,877 8 4 415,877 8 4 Paid tolls .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 372,611 11 4£ 372,611 11 4£ Telephone exchange rentals and miscellaneous .. .. .. 995,071 3 995,071 3 10i Totals .. .. .. .. .. 1,400,886 8 10 b 1,819,780 0 6 3,220,666 9 4£ Payments. Salaries .. .. .. .. •• •• 632,377 10 8 887,960 11 1 1,520,338 1 9 Conveyance of ocean mails .. .. .. .. 73,523 2 3 .. 73,523 2 3 Conveyance of inland mails .. .. .. .. 139,054 1 0 .. 139,054 1 0 Conveyance of mails by rail .. .. .. .• 102,757 6 0 .. 102,757 6 0 Money-order commission credited to foreign offices .. 2,836 10 11 .. 2,836 10 11 Maintenance of telegraph and telephone lines .. .. .. 169,822 7 1 169,822 7 1 Motor services and workshops .. .. •• 25,607 5 10 16,919 2 1 42,526 7 11 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. .. 145,583 19 4 149,832, 8 11 295,416 8 3 1,121,739 16 0 1,224,534 9 2 2,346,274 5 2 Balance of receipts over payments .. .. •• 279,146 12 10J 595,245 11 4 874,392 4 2^ Totals .. .. .. .. •• 1,400,886 8 10i 1,819,780 0 6 3,220,666 9 4£ The total cash value of the transactions of the Department, inclusive of the above, amounted to approximately £166,780,000 for the year.

v 00 , T! P,vmpnta Balance of Receipts Excess of 1'ayments Year - Receipts. layments. overpayments. over Receipts. ■ ■ ; If ! £ £ £ £ 1881-1882 .. .. •• •• 234,529 233,291 1,238 1891-1892 .. .. •• 320,05S 268,343 51,715 1901-1902 .. .. 488,573 465,756 22,817 1911-1912 .. .. .. ! 1,087,710 988,911 98,799 1912-1913 .. .. •• •• j 1,167,826 1,069,272 98,554 1913-1914 .. •• •• •• I 1,269,921 1,173,314 96,607 1914-1915 .. .. •• •• 1 1,359,059 1,246,850 112,209 1915-1916 .. .. •• ! 1,695,757 1,296,522 399,235 1916-1917 .. •• •• 1,809,317 1,370,810 438,507 1917-1918 .. .. ■■ • • 1,837,260 1,489,446 347,814 1918-1919 .. .. •• 1,972,539 1,702,048 270,491 1919-1920 .. •• •• •• 2,106,995 1,944,161 162,834 1920-1921 .. .. ■■ 2,590,441 2,591,786 .. 1,345 1921-1922 .. .. .. 2,811,535 2,451,571 359,964 1922-1923 .. .. .. •• 2,687,768 2,114,994 572,774 1923-1924 .. .. •• 2,688,954 2,120,584 568,370 1924-1925 .. .. •• 2,889,450 2,416,257 473,193 1925-1926 .. .. .. •• 3,100,396 2,409,556 690,840 1926-1927 .. .. •• •• 3,220,666 1 2,346,274 874,392

F.—l

10

STAFF. Comparative Return of Persons employed in the Post and Telegraph Department on the Ist April, 1926 and 1927. The total number of persons employed on the Ist April, 1926 and 1927, was as under : — Permanent staff— Ist April, Ist April, 1926. 1927. Administrative Division .. .. .. .. 4 4 Clerical and Engineering Divisions .. .. .. 3,426 3,543 General Division .. .. .. .. .. 4,752 4,993 8,182' 8,540 Temporary staff .... .. .. .. 199 192 Casual staff .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,025 1,557 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 9,406 10,289 Non-permanent staff— Country Postmasters and Telephonists .. .. 1,988 1,910 Postmasters who are Railway officers ' .. . . 102 101 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 11,496 12,300 Health op Permanent Staff. The following table gives the average absence of officers on sick leave : — Number on Average Absence Average Absence for Stafi. per Sick Officer. each Officer employed. Men .. .. .. .. 7,719 9-26 5-04 Women .. .. .. 821 13-74 9-62 Twenty-seven officers died during the year. Personnel. Mr. A. T. Markman, Secretary of the Department, retired on superannuation, ceasing active duty on the 31st October, 1926. He was succeeded by Mr. G. McNamara, First Assistant Secretary, who in turn was replaced by Mr. J. Robertson, Second Assistant Secretary. Mr. Robertson was succeeded by Mr. M. B. Esson, Chief Inspector, who was replaced by the promotion of Mr. A. P. Bennett, Principal, Staff Division. APPEAL BOARD. The Post and Telegraph Appeal Board, under the chairmanship of Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., sat on three occasions during the year. One hundred and three appeals were dealt with, of which one was allowed by the Board. DEPARTMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE CLASSES. Officers to the number of 644 enrolled in the departmental correspondence classes, which provide tuition for those who desire to sit for departmental examinations. The classes now provide tuition for ten departmental examinations. The value, of the classes is reflected in the examination results : of 618 students who w T ere examined, 568 (equal to 92 per cent.) gained passes. Apart from preparing officers purely for examination purposes, the classes tend to bring about a general increase in efficiency throughout the Service. EXAMINATIONS. The number of officers who entered for departmental efficiency examinations held during the year was 1,742. The candidates that were either wholly or partially successful numbered 1,008. BUILDINGS. Post-office buildings were completed as under : — Brunnerton. Paeroa. Kaukapakapa. Paihia. Marton. Poolburn. Ohai. Seddon (telephone exchange). Omakau. Te Kauwhata. Oturehua. Wellsford. Outram. The new post-office building at Marton, the foundation stone of which was laid in 1925, was completed on the 27th April, 1927. The building, a photograph of which appears at the end of the report, is a handsome two-storied structure of brick and concrete. It will be seen from the photograph that the building is in appearance a distinct departure from the usual types of post-office building in the Dominion. The architecture embodies many features of modern building. One is the provision throughout of ample light and air. The building is fitted with every modern appliance and convenience.

11

p.—l

Portion of a building which was no longer required at Whenuakura was dismantled and re-erected at Kohi. This structure was originally part of the old post-office building at Patea. As the retention of the post-office building at Parkvale was no longer warranted, the structure was moved to Koputaroa to accommodate the post-office at that place. At Brightwater the Courthouse building was moved to a new site and converted to the purposes of the Post Office. A departmental building was provided at Moa Flat by removing to that place the old post-office building at Poolburn. At Kopaki, the post-office site being subject to floods, the building was moved to a more suitable position. At Omakau, Oturehua, and Outram, where the post and telegraph work was performed by the Railway Department, the business outgrew the capacity of the accommodation provided on the railway premises and the erection of post-office buildings became necessary. To provide accommodation for the Postmaster, a residence was purchased at Rangataua. Combined garages and stores were erected at Helensville, Kaeo, Kaitaia, Motueka, Te Aroha, Wairoa, and Whangarei. Garages were provided at Huntly, Oamaru, and Timaru. The erection of an addition to the Public Service garage at Wellington was completed. A property at Feilding, consisting of a section of land, with a building thereon, adjoining the postoffice, was purchased. The building was converted into a workshop, garage, and store. Substantial additions and alterations to departmental buildings were made at the following places : — Broadwood (additions). Bull's (additions). Caversham (alterations consequent upon road-widening). Christchurch Chief Post-office (alterations). Frankton Junction (additions). Gisborne (additions). Khandallah (automatic-telephone-exchange additions). Kopaki (additions). Leeston (additions). Mangaweka (additions). Mount Eden (automatic-telephone-exchange additions). Murchison (additions). Nuhaka (additions). Otaki (additions and alterations). Otautau (additions). Remuera (automatic-telephone-exchange additions). Sanson (additions). Taihape (alterations). Extensive additions to the Palmerston North Chief Post-office building are proceeding. It is anticipated that the added accommodation will be available in July, 1927. Notwithstanding the largely increased accommodation provided, the general need for increased floor-space on which to conduct the Department's steadily increasing business remains undiminished. The policy of utilizing the funds available strictly in the order of urgency of the Department's requirements has been firmly adhered to. Despite this, at the close of the year, several departmental units remained accommodated in rented premises. In most of these cases, however, accommodation within the Department's own buildings is in sight. Practically all of the Department's buildings were inspected during the year and a report furnished upon the conditioh of each. Notwithstanding that the funds available for maintenance were carefully administered, in a number of cases it was not possible to arrange for renovations to buildings deemed essential in the interests of proper upkeep. It is hoped that it will be possible next year to provide additional accommodation at Hastings and Hawera ; also to proceed with the erection of new post-office buildings at Dunedin, Napier, and Waverley. The many wooden buildings owned by the Department constitute an ever-present danger of loss of mail-matter and other property by fire. Fortunately there were no losses from this cause during the year. Hitherto the cost of various items of office equipment has been debited to capital expenditure. Under a new arrangement adopted during the year the cost will in future be charged to Post and Telegraph working-expenses. OVERSEAS MAITS. The San Francisco contract was carried out by the R.M.S. " Tahiti " and " Makura," and the Vancouver contract by the R.M.M.S. " Aorangi " and the R.M.S. " Niagara." The San Francisco contract voyage commenced from Wellington on the 20th July, 1926, was performed by the " Maunganui," which released the " Makura" for overhaul. On the Ist February, 1927, the "Maunganui" released the "Tahiti," which in turn replaced the "Aorangi" in the Vancouver service. After being overhauled the last-named vessel resumed her running on the 15th March, 1927. The average times occupied during the year in the transmission of the mails were as follow: Auckland to London (via Vancouver), thirty-one days; London to Auckland (via Vancouver), thirtytwo days; Wellington to London (via San Francisco), twenty-nine days ; London to Wellington (via San Francisco), thirty-one days.

F.—l

12

In January, 1927, arrangements were made for correspondence for Great Britain marked " Via Australia " to be despatched to connect with steamers of the Orient line sailing from Australia. Letters posted two or three days after the departure of a San Francisco or Vancouver steamer and despatched via Australia arrive in London several days in advance of letters forwarded by the next outward Vancouver or San Francisco mail from New Zealand. Advantage continues to be taken of the opportunity to despatch mails to Great Britain by a vessel sailing via Panama if the vessel happens to offer a quicker despatch than that of the next contract or Orient line steamer. Fire on Steamer prom Great Britain. A portion of the parcel-mail for New Zealand despatched from Loudon on the 3rd December, 1926, by the " Remuera " was damaged by a fire which broke out in a mail-locker in No. 2 hold shortly after the departure of the steamer from Panama. Approximately two hundred parcels, including a few insured, were destroyed, and a large number of parcels were more or less damaged. INLAND MAIL-SERVICES. In respect of mail communications the following are the only incidents worthy of recording : — In May, 1926, a heavy slip on the Wairarapa incline blocked the railway-line near the entrance to the Summit tunnel, causing a three-days interruption to the transit of mails over this route. Letter-mails between Wellington and offices in the Wairarapa were carried by service car, and secondclass mail-matter was carried by train via Palmerston North. At about the same time slips and flooded creeks caused an interruption to the Nelson-Westport mail-service. Floods damaged the railway bridge at Blackball, and again interrupted the transport of mails to and from that place. The Northern Steamship Co.'s steamer " Manaia," carrying passengers and mails from Tauranga for Auckland, ran ashore near Slipper Island on the 10th June, 1926, at 11.30 p.m. Both passengers and mails were safely transferred to another of the company's steamers and taken on to Auckland. The " Manaia " became a total loss. Extensive floods in July, 1926, inundated the country in the vicinity of Rangiotu and Foxton, interrupting mail communication between those places and Palmerston North, and between Foxton and Levin. Temporary arrangements were made for the conveyance of mails by motor-buses between Palmerston North and Foxton, and by boats between Levin and Foxton. Slight disorganization occurred to other mail-services in the vicinity. A similar interruption took place in the mail-services between Palmerston North and Wanganui, and between Awakino and Te Kuiti. The Wanganui River service suffered likewise. Normal services were resumed without undue delay. A landslide in the Manawatu Gorge on the night of the 24th October, 1926, completely blocked railway traffic and consequently disorganized the mail-service to the Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa districts. Arrangements were immediately made for the transport of mails between those districts and the Manawatu district by departmental motor-lorries, with the result that little public inconvenience was occasioned. Normal mail-train connection did not resume until the end of November. At the beginning of November, 1926, as a result of torrential rain, the Buller River overflowed its banks and invaded Westport, completely isolating the town. Mail communication through the Buller Gorge was interrupted for nearly a week. At about the same time a similar flood caused the Waimakariri River to overflow its banks, interrupting mail connections between Christchurch and North Canterbury for some days. In both cases no effort was spared and many risks were taken in re-establishing mail connections. RURAL BIAILS. There are now in use 15,472 rural boxes, an increase of 925 on the number for last year. The number of rural deliveries (including part rural deliveries) in operation at the 31st March, 1927, was 377, as against 365 for the year 1925-26. The demand for the large-sized rural box referred to in last year's report is steadily increasing. Farmers appreciate the more commodious receptacle, as it affords protection against the weather for bread, groceries, and other similar parcels, which although they do not pass through the Post Office, are frequently delivered by the mail contractor. Arrangements have now been made to exhibit a sample of the large box at suitable post-offices. It has been found possible to modify the regulations in the direction of permitting settlers to obtain a rural delivery in a case in which the number of families to the mile of travel is three in respect of a route of over ten miles in length, and four in respect of a route of less than ten miles. Formerly the required numbers of families were four and six respectively. " HOUSEHOLDER " CIRCULARS. The " Householder " delivery service continues to grow in public favour. The revenue from this class of mail-matter for the period Ist April, 1926, to 31st March, 1927, was £10,067, as against £8,798 for the preceding twelve months, and £4,847 for the twelve months ended the 31st March, 1925. The advertising public is beginning to appreciate the Post Office as an advertising-medium. The " Householder " delivery service, in particular, affords a cheap and reliable means of getting publicitymatter into the homes of the people. The mail advertisement carries " personal touch," and as it enables the advertiser to have his samples delivered with his advertising message it constitutes a. form of advertising that is unique not only in method, but also in the results that may be achieved.

13

F.—l

MISSING POSTAL PACKETS. During 1926, 6,002 inquiries for postal packets reported missing were received. In 3,790 cases, or more than half the total number, the packets were traced. In 1,032 of these cases inquiry showed that the sender was responsible for the delay ; in 1,251 cases the responsibility for the delay rested with the addressee ; in 392 cases the delay was due to failures in the Post Office ; and in 1,115 cases either there had been no delay or there had been delay but the responsibility for it could not be fixed. The cases in which it was not possible to trace the packets inquired for numbered 2,212. In this number are included postal packets misappropriated either inside or outside the Post Office and postal packets lost before posting or after delivery. In this connection it may be mentioned that in a large number of cases in which complaint is made regarding the non-delivery of postal packets the inquiries made by the Department result in the arrest and punishment either of the person who was entrusted with the posting of the packet or of the person whose duty it was to accept delivery on behalf of the addressee. The actual losses throughout the year amounted to -0009 per cent, of the total number of articles posted. The importance of registering packets containing articles of value is continually being stressed. A warning notice is attached to each posting-box in the Dominion, and sometimes the matter is brought to the notice of persons concerned by means of pamphlets issued by the Department. Notwithstanding this, many persons still forward bank-notes and other readily negotiable value in unregistered letters. POSTMARKING-MACHINES. Use continued to be made of postmarking machines for advertising purposes. One of the Wellington machines carried a slogan advertising New-Zealand-made goods. Anothu machine at Wellington and machines at the three other centres carried slogans advertising departmental facilities in the following fashion : — Sell by Mail, Pack carefully, Advertise by Post, Simple, Economical, Address fully, Jd. for 2 oz. Direct. Post early. Reach the Unseen Buyer, Save Travelling-expenses. Send a Letter-telegram, Sell by Mail. Sell by Mail. 27 words for 9d. REGISTRATION OF MOTOR-VEHICLES. Owing to the late delivery of registration-plates for the year 1926-27, motor-owners had only a comparatively short time in which to obtain new licenses. The task of relicensing proved a heavy strain on the staff at many offices, but, owing to the splendid spirit shown by the officers concerned, the work was carried out with a minimum of delay and inconvenience. An innovation introduced in the plates for the year 1927-28 is a prefix letter on plates for commercial vehicles. This letter indicates the amount of the license fee paid. The police and Traffic Inspectors are thus enabled to detect any vehicle in respect of which the appropriate fee has not been paid. The colour of registration-plates is changed each year. This is done in order to enable police and traffic inspectors to see at a glance whether the current fees payable under the Motor-vehicles Act have been paid. As the issuance of licenses in a documentary form was an expensive undertaking, and the documents served no useful purpose, it was decided to discontinue the issue of documentary licenses from the Ist April, 1926, and to regard the registration-plates as the annual license. During the past motor-registration year much difficulty was experienced in identifying vehicles owing to the failure of many owners, when registering their vehicles, to quote accurately the engine and chassis numbers. Each discrepancy that came under notice was investigated, thoroughly. In a number of instances it was found that the discrepancies were due to owners transferring plates from a registered to an unregistered vehicle. In the majority of cases, however, it was found that at the time registration was effected " part " numbers had been quoted instead of the actual engine and chassis numbers. Motor-vehicles registered in the Dominion up to and including the 31st March, 1927, were as follow:— North Island. Cars .. .. .. .. .. .. 65,470 Trucks, &c. .. .. .. .. ~ 15,774 Cycles .. .. .. .. .. ..19,186 100,430 South- Island. Cars .. .. .. .. .. .. 40,443 Trucks, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 7,072 Cvcles .. .. .. .. .. 14.396 — 61,911 Total .. .. .. .. 162,341 These vehicles do not include those for which 3,250 demonstration-plates were issued to dealers.

F.—l

14

The total number of motor-vehicles of all classes registered for the year ended the 31st March, 1926, was 132,811. The following graphs show the number of cars, commercial vehicles, and cycles registered each month from April, 1925, to March, 1927.

Commercial Vehicles.

15

F.—l

DEPARTMENTAL MOTOR-VEHICLES.

At the 31st March, 1927, the following vehicles were in use in the Department: Motor-cars, 104 ; motor-cycles, 96 ; motor-lorries and vans, &c., 340 : total, 540 —an increase of 52 compared with the number of vehicles in use at the 31st March, 1926. During the year 138 new vehicles were purchased to replace those withdrawn from service owing to their having outlived their period of usefulness and to meet the growing requirements of the Department in the matter of motor transport. Approximately 86 vehicles were withdrawn from service and disposed of at auction. The Department is gradually dispensing with the use of horse-drawn vehicles in connection with line-construction and maintenance work. Apart from districts in which the roads are not suitable for motor-vehicles, very few horses and carts are now used by line parties. WORKSHOPS. There arc now departmental workshops at Auckland, Napier, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. The total value of work performed in these workshops was £116,707, of which £10,337 represented the value of work done for other Departments. The workshops are suitably equipped with modern appliances, the Wellington workshop being particularly well fitted up for the various classes of work required to be undertaken. The work done in the several workshops is most varied in character, and included jobs from the repairing of adding-machines and other office equipment to the building of truck and van bodies and the manufacture of furniture and of parts for telegraph instruments. The Department's fleet of motor - vehicles was kept in good running order. Considerable repair work was done to vehicles of other Departments; whilst there was a steady output of special motorvehicle bodies to meet the requirements of Government Departments generally. Similarly, the workshops provided a sufficient output of parcel-post hampers, parcel-post boxes, and rural-delivery boxes. The conversion of certain telephone exchanges from manual to automatic working necessitated the renovating of a large quantity of telephone apparatus. Other work on a large scale was involved in the maintenance of wireless-stations and telegraph apparatus, including Murray multiplex machineprinting instruments, and, incidentally, it was necessary to manufacture a number of parts required for repair work. Coin-in-the-slot telephone instruments were manufactured and public-call telephone cabinets erected by the workshops staffs. The Wellington workshop made a large number of fittings for the new post-office building at Marton, as well as fittings and furniture for a number of other buildings. STORES BRANCH. The following figures indicate the value of stores purchased and issued at Wellington during the year ended the 31st March, 1927, and the value of the stock held at Wellington on that date. For the purposes of comparison the figures for the previous year are shown also 1926-27. 1925-26. £ £ Balance, Ist April .. .. .. .. .. 207,500 243,590 Purchases .. .. .. .. .. .. 599,047 701,301 Issues .. .. .. .. .. .. 593,994 737,391 Balance, 31st March.. .. .. .. .. 212,553 207,500 The figures for the Auckland Stores Branch for 1926-27 are as follow : — £ Balance, Ist April, 1926 .. .. .. .. .. .. 160,322 Purchases .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 176,047 Issues .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 201,175 Balance, 31st March, 1927 . . .. .. .. .. ..135,194 As the Stores Branch at Auckland was not in existence during the whole of the previous year, comparative figures cannot be furnished.

F.—l

16

Particulars of the purchases made for other Departments under the Stores Control Board Regulations are set out hereunder. The figures for the previous year also are shown

The large increase in the number of requisitions and in the number of purchases is due to the fact that Departments are keeping their stocks at a lower level than has been the practice in the past. As directed by Government, full preference to New Zealand and British manufacturers has been extended, with the result that the value of the articles purchased locally and in Great Britain has increased. Motor-vehicles purchased for other Departments numbered 240 —an increase of eighteen over the number purchased during the preceding year. General contracts for the supply of motor-spirit, kerosene, lubricating-oil, and motor-tires let through the Stores Control Board, resulted in a considerable saving both to the Post Office and to other Departments concerned. In view of the amount of motor-spirit used by Government Departments, it has been found economical to install petrol-pumps at various points. Pumps controlled by the Post and Telegraph Department have already been brought into use in twenty-two cities and towns. The system of purchasing petrol in bulk will be extended from time to time, and it is proposed to install pumps during the year 1927-28 in seven more towns. The saving to the Government as a result of the purchase of motor-spirit in bulk is considerable. MARINE INSURANCE FUND. The value of the stores from countries within the Empire, and from the United States of America, imported under cover of the Marine Insurance Fund, was £238,400. Since the establishment of the Fund on the Ist July, 1925, an unusually large number of claims have been made by the Department. The claims were due to fires that occurred on the s.s. " Kent" and the s.s. " Remuera," a collision between the s.s. "Surrey" and another vessel on the River Thames, the wreck of the s.s. " Port Kembla " at San Salvador, and the striking of a submerged rock on the New Zealand coast by the s.s. " Northumberland." POST OFFICE. ARTICLES DELIVERED. The number of articles delivered in the Dominion, including those received from places overseas, during the year 1926, compared with the number in 1925, was as under : — mofl mor Increase 1926 ' 1925 " Per Cent. Letters .. .. .. 149.881,324 148,160,011 1-16 Post-cards .. .. .. 4,557.568 4,677,034 0-39* Parcels .. .. .. 3,698,400 3,645,057 1-46 All other articles .. .. 86,224,573 80,134,655 7-60 244,361,865 236,616,757 *Decrease. AVERAGE NUMBER OF LETTERS POSTED PER UNIT OF POPULATION. 1926, 109-95 1925, 110-14. NUMBER OF POST-OFFICES IN DOMINION. Offices opened during year, 20; offices closed during year, 41; offices remaining open on 31st December, 1926, 1,999. UNDELIVERABLE POSTAL PACKETS. The following is a comparison of letters and other articles dealt with as undeliverable during the year 1926, compared with those so dealt with during 1925 : —

Value of Items purchased. Year ended Requisitions. Items. — Total. On Indent. Locally. £ £ 1 £ 31st March, 1926 .. 1,548 5,946 32,451 74,154 106,605 31st March, 1927 .. 3,263 13,854 18,095 92,981 111,076

Returned direct t> , , A . , Returned to other n , ■, , ,, t\ + j .OA Returned direct A , ... Returned to other Destroyed to benders , c i Administrations a j • • .i i.- /« j i £ £ to Senders » . » Administrations (Senders unknown m. i Year. ; from Chief frora Dead ft _ from ". 1 from Dead and Contents of Total " Offices ( Special Letter office . Offices (" Spec,al no Value). Request ). Request ). ' I ' I 1 1 Letters. 1926.. 316,578 302,307 52,856 38,011 j 31,496 741,248 1925.. 247,934 | 291,598 54,556 ! 39,091 | 26,308 659,487 Other Articles. 1926.. 201,193 I 10,142 87,987 j 25.156 I .. | 324,478 1925.. 157,543 j 9,211 j 75,377 j _ 24,532 ! 266,663 The proportion of undeliverable letters to the total number of letters delivered was 0'49 per cent, In 1925 the proportion was 0-45 per cent.

F.—l

17

NUMBER OF POSTAL PACKETS POSTED IN THE DOMINION

F.— 1

18

MISCELLANEOUS. 1926. 1925. Letters and letter-cards posted without addresses .. .. .. .. 20,659 19,731 Letters imperfectly or insufficiently addressed ... . . . . .. 23,508 19,380 Letters intercepted on account of libellous addresses . . . . .. 304 42 Registered letters unclaimed .. .. .. .. .. .. 9,973 9,650 Newspapers received without addresses .. .. .. .. .. 6,454 5,221 Other articles received without addresses .. .. .. .. 4,893 4,070 Newspapers returned to publishers as undeliverable .. .. .. 39,085 43,685 Articles bearing previously used stamps .. .. .. . . .. 93 81 During 1926 there were dealt with in the Dead Letter Office 5,193 packets (other than parcels) the contents of which gave little or no indication of the senders' names or addresses. In the majority of these cases special effort on the part of the Dead Letter Office was successful in tracing either the senders or the addressees. Two hundred and eighty-six letters from overseas bearing insufficient or wrong addresses were specially dealt with, and a large proportion was delivered. During the year an auction of unclaimed packets and parcels was held, at which 162 bundles of miscellaneous articles were sold. The number of " special request " letters returned unopened to senders shows a satisfactory increase. If business people realized that a special request for return in the event of non-delivery, printed on an envelope, meant the quicker return of a letter, still more would avail themselves of the facility. PROHIBITED POSTAL PACKETS. During the year 1,338 letters addressed to persons or firms the transmission of correspondence for whom is prohibited under section 28 of the Post and Telegraph Act, 1908, were intercepted and forwarded to the Dead Letter Office. (In 1925 the number was 3,873.) The letters for the most part were addressed to agents of art unions or lotteries in other countries. Some were addressed to recognized " quack " doctors, while others were addressed to persons who deal in obscene books or pictures. The list of prohibited persons, which had become unwieldly, was purged during the year. The purging necessitated considerable correspondence with foreign countries. In some cases it was found that the prohibited persons had left their former addresses, or were out of business, or were deceased. Needless to say, before any name was removed from the list the Department had adequate evidence that removal was justified. REGISTER OF NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES. Twenty-three newspapers were registered for transmission by post, and twenty-five were removed from the register. Three magazines were registered, and fourteen were removed from the register. The number of registered newspapers on the 31st March, 1927, was 298, and the number of registered magazines 326. POSTAGE-STAMPS. New postage-stamps of the denominations of 2s. and 3s. were issued on the 12th July, 1926, and a new Id. stamp was issued on the 15th November. The central figure of the design of each of the stamps is a bust in profile of His Majesty the King. His Majesty is portrayed in the 2s. and 3s. stamps in the uniform of an Admiral, and in the Id. stamp in the uniform of a Field-Marshal. The new stamps have also been issued overprinted as follows : 2s. and 35., " Samoa," November, 1926 ; 25., " Rarotonga," November, 1926; 25., " Niue," March, 1927 ; and Id., " Official," February, 1927. Letter-cards bearing the new Id. stamp were issued in January, 1927. Consequent upon the new issues, the following stamps were withdrawn during the year: Id. "Universal"; 2s. "Stamp Duty" overprinted "Rarotonga" and "Samoa"; 3s. "Stamp Duty " overprinted " Samoa." Similarly, the letter-card bearing the Id. " Universal " stamp is no longer on issue. DISCOUNT-STAMPS. The redemption of discount-stamps ceased on the 31st March, 1927. BRITISH EMPIRE REPLY COUPONS. As a result of a discussion at Stockholm in 1924 among the Imperial delegates to the Postal Union Congress, it was decided to issue an Imperial reply coupon for use within the Empire. During the year arrangements were made for the British Empire reply coupon to be placed on sale in the Dominion, but it was not until the 7th April, 1927, that the coupons were actually available for sale. They are sold at 2|d. each, and on being presented at any post-office in the Empire are exchanged for a stamp or stamps representing the postage on a single-rate letter to a destination within the Empire. International reply coupons have been in use for many years, but they are sold at 5d.. each. An International coupon may, of course, be redeemed in any country, whether British or not, for a postage-stamp or stamps representing the postage on a single-rate letter to any part of the world.

19

F.—l

STAMP-VENDING MACHINES. The year was a record one in regard to the issue of stamp-vending machines, 110 less than thirty-eight new machines being brought into use at various offices. The machines are very popular with the public, affording, as they do, an opportunity of purchasing stamps at any hour of the day or night. People nowadays are not prevented from posting a letter through inability to obtain a postage-stamp on account of the post-office being closed. The machines have been the subject of favourable comment on the part of visitors from overseas. CUSTOMS PARCELS. The following table shows the declared value of goods received by parcel-post from places abroad and the Customs duty thereon ; also the declared value of goods despatched by parcel-post to places abroad. The figures for the years 1926 and 1925 are shown in each case. 1926. 1925. £ s. d. £ s. d. Declared value of received parcels .. 1,633,765 0 0 1,492,300 0 0 Customs duty .. .. .. 351,299 10 0 311,055 19 7 Declared value of forwarded parcels .. 97,324 0 0 76,980 0 0 POSTAL NOTES. The popularity of the method of remitting small sums to places within the Dominion by means of postal notes is ever increasing. Postal-note business again shows a decided increase, the sales for the year ended 31st March, 1927, being 3,329,638, of a total value of £987,688, an increase over the previous year of 288,916 in number and of £64,815 in value. The commission totalled. £22,417 10s. Bd., an increase of £1,663 7s. 4d. on that earned in the year 1925-26. BRITISH POSTAL ORDERS. The sale of British postal orders also shows a marked increase : 142,669 orders, of a value of £82,053 9s. 5d., were sold, as against 136,763 orders, of a value of £78,031, sold during the previous year. The number of orders paid was 33,610, of a value of £19,873, as against 30,248, of a value of £17,666, paid during the previous year. TELEGRAPH AND TOLL SERVICES. TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE VISIT OF THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF YORK. Very complete postal, telegraph, and telephone arrangements were made during the visit of Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York. The privilege of free departmental facilities was afforded Their Royal Highnesses and the principal members of their entourage. The hours of attendance were extended at many offices, and special telephone connections were installed for use during the visit of the Royal party. When it was decided that the Duchess should abandon the West Coast tour and remain at Nelson, arrangements were made to install a telephone in Her Royal Highness's rooms for communication with the Duke at the various stopping-places between Nelson and Christchurch. At Christchurch further special arrangements were made for communication between Their Royal Highnesses, both while the Duchess was at Nelson and while she was at Wellington. Again at Dunedin, similar arrangements were made. As there is no special telephone circuit between Nelson and the West Coast or between Nelson and Christchurch, it was necessary to improvise circuits by the use of telegraph-wires. It is pleasing to record that His Royal Highness expressed appreciation of the arrangements. As is usual on the occasion of such important visits, a large amount of telegraph traffic resulted from the presence of numerous overseas Press correspondents, and also from an extraordinary amount of Press traffic within the Dominion. This necessitated the provision of special telegraphic apparatus and extra staff at places visited by the party. At the conclusion of the tour His Royal Highness's Private Secretary, as well as prominent journalists from abroad, expressed their entire satisfaction with the arrangements made and with the efficient work of officers in dealing with the unusual volume of traffic. INTERNATIONAL TELEGRAPH CONFERENCE. The International Telegraph Conference was held at Paris in September and October, 1925. The Dominion's representative was Captain T. E. Donne, late of the High Commissioner's Office, London. Amendments made to the telegraph service regulations by the Conference came into force from the Ist November, 1926. The alteration causing most concern to the commercial public was the restriction on the use of figures, numbers, and commercial expressions in cheap-rate messages to one-third of the chargeable number of words in the text. When the service of deferred messages was

F.—l

20

introduced in 1912 the use of figures was not allowed in the text; but this restriction was subsequently removed, with the result that the cheap-rate services were extensively used for business purposes. The new regulation adversely affects this practice and has been the subject of strong protests from Chambers of Commerce and individual firms. As, however, New Zealand is a party to the International Telegraph Convention, it is not possible to give any substantial relief ; but the Department is placing as liberal an interpretation as possible upon the regulation. Among the less important amendments made to the regulations are the following (a) The fee for a certified copy of a cable or radio telegram is increased to sd. for each fifty words or fraction thereof, with a minimum charge of Is. 3d. (b) Esperanto is admitted as one of the plain languages in which the texts of telegrams may be written. (c) In messages addressed for delivery at post or telegraph offices the name of the addressee must be given ; the use of initials, Christian names only, or fictitious names is not allowed in such messages. (rf) The period of validity of a reply voucher issued in respect of a cable message is extended from six weeks to six months. (e) Deferred messages may be accepted only when the half rate is applicable throughout the route. " AUTOMATIC-STAMPING-MACHINE IMPRESSIONS. The restriction of the use of automatic-stamping-machine impressions in payment of telegraph charges, to telegrams presented at offices in the towns in which the machines are installed was removed from the 27th April, 1926. TELEGRAPH ATTENDANCE. With a view to the prompt disposal of overnight cable messages, a staff of operators is now on duty at 7.30 a.m. daily at Auckland and Wellington. In consequence of the establishment of a morning newspaper at Whangarei the telegraph attendance at that office was extended to midnight. The evening attendance from 7 to 8 o'clock was restored at Waipukurau. EXCHANGE OF WEATHER TELEGRAMS. Arrangements were made for an exchange of weather telegrams twice daily for six months in the year between the Hermitage and Wailio Gorge. These advices serve as a warning and afford useful information to travellers crossing the Southern Alps. CHARGE FOR INLAND MULTIPLE TELEGRAMS. The length of text of each copy of an inland multiple telegram that may be supplied for the minimum charge of 4Jd. is now limited to fifty words. For any length of text in excess of fifty words the extra charge is 4Jd. for each fifty words or fraction thereof. TELEGRAMS FROM MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO CHATHAM ISLANDS. The rate of 6d. for thirty-six words for inland telegrams from members of the General Assembly now applies to such telegrams addressed to Chatham Islands in the Lyttelton Electorate. TELEGRAPH-CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN WELLINGTON AND GREYMOUTH. Arrangements were made for a second direct telegraph circuit between Wellington and Greymouth, with Blenheim and Nelson intermediate. This outlet will expedite the handling of Press messages to and from West Coast centres. PRIVATE MORSE TELEGRAPH CIRCUIT. Upon the application of a private company, the Department leased a Morse circuit between a central telegraph-office and the works of the company, and supplied the necessary instruments at an annual charge covering attendance at the central office between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Arrangements of this kind are not unknown in older countries, but they are an innovation so far as New Zealand is concerned. The Department offers every facility in thus meeting the special needs of large industrial concerns. DISTRIBUTION OF PRESS TO MIDNIGHT OFFICES. The Department has acceded to the request of the United Press Association to undertake the distribution of cable Press arriving after midnight. This obviates the necessity of messages having to be forwarded to the office of the Press Association and having to be returned thence to the telegraph-office for transmission to the various offices. It is an arrangement which not only causes no inconvenience to the Department, but enables an appreciable saving of time and handling to be effected.

R—l

21

TELEGRAPH MONEY-ORDER SERVICE BETWEEN NEW ZEALAND AND FIJI. A telegraph money-order service tietween New Zealand and Fiji was instituted on the Ist July, 1926. INLAND LETTER-TELEGRAMS. The number of inland letter-telegrams sent during the year 1926-27 was 426,816, an increase of 109,332 on the number sent during the year 1925-26. This is an indication of the growing popularity of this cheap class of message. TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE OFFICES OPEN FOR BUSINESS. Particulars of offices opened and closed during the year and remaining open at the 31st March, 1927, are as follow : Offices opened, 18; offices closed, 38; offices remaining open at 31st March, 1927, 2,192. Of this number, 247 are operated by morse, 1,831 by telephone, 4 by radio-telegraphy, and 10 are telephone toll stations only. There are also four radio stations on the mainland (Awanui, Auckland, Wellington, and Awarua), and five in the Cook Islands. As was the case in previous years, the number of offices closed exceeded the number opened. The excess of closing over opening is due to the extension of the telephone system in rural areas, thus rendering unnecessary a number of small telephone-offices. TELEGRAPH AND TOLL TRAFFIC. The figures which follow show the position in regard to telegraph and telephone traffic. Fuller information is contained in Table 11.

Total of all Classes of Message and Value thereof.

Schedule of Paid Telegrams, Gable Messages, and Toll Communications. Number. Value. Ordinary.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,725,008 483,902 Urgent .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 279,957 28,658 Press .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 555,638 76,770 Letter .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 426,816 19,133 Toll communications .. .. .. .. .. .. 9,329,017 372,612 16,316,436 981,075 Less net amount paid to other Administrations on cable and radio messages .. 192,586 Net total for paid messages of all codes, 1926-27 .. .. .. 16,316,436 788,489 Net total for paid messages of all codes, 1925-26 .. .. .. 16,143,414 782,680 Table showing Use by the Public of Telegraph and Toll Services. 1926-27. 1925-26. Number of ordinary telegrams sent per unit of population .. .. .. 3'98 4-54 Number of toll communications per unit of population .. . . 6-48 6-37 Number of paid messages, telegrams, or toll communications per unit of population 1T34 11-49 Number of paid telegrams for every 100 letters posted .. .. .. 4 - 69 4-39 CABLE SERVICES. DUPLICATION OF PACIFIC CABLE. An outstanding event in the operations of the Pacific Cable Board was the duplication of the cable between Canada and Fiji. This is a consummation of the scheme for providing a complete additional cable channel between Canada and New Zealand and Australia. The first portion of the work was completed in 1923, when cables were laid between Auckland and Suva (Fiji), and between Southport (Queensland) and Sydney. The cable just completed comprises two sections —one between Bamfield (British Columbia) and Fanning Island, and the other between Fanning Island and Suva. The contract for the construction and laying-out of the Bamfield- Fanning Island section was carried out by the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company, of Greenwich; while the Fanning Island -Suva section was constructed and laid by Messrs Siemens Bros., of Woolwich.

1926-27. j 1925-26. i Increase. Increase per Cent. Number .. .. .. j 16,372,226 16,201,874 170,352 ! 1-051 Value .. .. .. | £793,096 £787,670 1 £5,426 , 0-688

F.—l

22

The capacity of a single cable had for several years been obviously inadequate to carry the large volume of traffic arising out of the introduction of the cheap-rate cable services and it had become imperative to provide increased cable accommodation. When the first part of the programme for duplicating the cable was carried out in 1923, it was not expedient to complete the project, as a new method of cable-construction was then in the experimental stage. The new method has proved a considerable advance upon the old method for long cable sections. It embodies the idea of continuous loading—i.e., surrounding the conductor of the cable with a winding of special alloy of high permeability—the result of which is greatly to reduce the attenuation of signalling-impulses, and thus to make possible a greater speed of working. The capacity of the Board's new cable is thus much greater than that of the original cable, and places the Board in the favourable position of being able to afford expeditious handling to a large volume of additional traffic. It is interesting to note that the Bamfield - Fanning Island section is the longest stretch of cable in the world. It is nearly 3,500 nautical miles in length, and the depth at which it is laid is in some places as much as 3,400 fathoms. The work of laying the cable necessitated the employment of two cable steamers. The total cost of duplicating, including the cost of the new cables laid in 1923, was nearly two and three-quarter million pounds. The cost has been met out of the Board's reserve funds ; consequently, the associated Governments will not be called upon for a contribution. The cost of the original cable laid in 1.902 was £2,000,000. The expenditure of such a large amount of money upon the extension of cable facilities with the Dominion and the Commonwealth can be regarded as proof of the faith that exists in the future commercial progress of the two countries. The traffic carried by the cable has been to a certain extent an index of the progress of the Dominion. During the first year of operation the cable carried less than a quarter of a million words. The number of words increased from two million in 1911-12 to over eight million in 1915-16, and for the year ended 31st March, 1926, the cable handled twelve million words. The new cable was opened for traffic from the 22nd November, 1926. PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION OF PACIFIC CABLE BOARD. The question of amending the constitution and powers of the Pacific Cable Board was discussed at the recent Imperial Conference. It was considered that the Board had reached a point in its development when its operations should be freed from the veto of the British Treasury. It was conceded that the representation of the British Government on the Board should be reduced from three members to two, thus giving Great Britain the same representation as Canada and Australia. It was further considered that the appointment of Chairman of the Board should no longer be the prerogative of the British Government. Fresh arrangements were outlined regarding the amounts to be placed to a reserve fund for the purpose of meeting the cost of maintenance and extensions to the system. A scheme was also evolved for the allocation to the Governments concerned of profits from the undertaking. A Bill on these lines was recently submitted to the British House of Commons, and will no doubt eventually be passed into law. REPRESENTATION OF NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT ON PACIFIC CABLE BOARD. From the Ist August, 1926, the Hon. Sir C. J. Parr, K.C.M.G., replaced the Hon. Sir James Allen, K.C.8., as New Zealand Government representative on the Pacific Cable Roard. PACIFIC CABLE BOARD APPOINTMENT. The great development of cable business in the Dominion justified the Board in appointing a Business Manager for the Dominion. The choice fell on Mr. A. T. Markman, who retired from the position of Secretary of the Department on the 31st October, 1926, to take up his new duties. In Mr. Markman the Board has secured the services of a gentleman well fitted by his expert acquaintance with telegraph matters over a long period of years to take such a position. REDUCTIONS IN CABLE RATES. The service of daily letter-telegrams was extended from the 17th March, 1927, to messages exchanged between New Zealand and the United States of America. From the 3rd February, 1927, the ordinary rate to Labrador via Pacific was reduced to 2s. and the deferred rate to Is. Id. per word. From the same date the ordinary rate to Newfoundland via Pacific was reduced to Is. lOd. and the deferred rate to lid. per word. It is satisfactory to record that from the Ist February, 1927, the cable rate to Great Britain and Ireland by both the Eastern and the Pacific routes was further reduced to Is. lid. per word for the ordinary rate and llid. per word for the deferred rate. The rate by the Pacific route to all Canadian States was reduced from the same date by 3d. per word for ordinary and l|d. per word for deferred messages. From the Ist February, 1927, the Government rate to Canada and Newfoundland via Pacific was reduced by l-|d. per word.

F.—l

RESTORATION OF WEEK-END CABLE SERVICE. The week-end cable service via the Eastern Extension Australasia and China Telegraph Company's cables, which was suspended on the sth August, 1914, was restored to Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and the Irish Free State from the Ist November, 1926. CABLE TRAFFIC. The number of cable messages, excluding Press, sent from New Zealand to international offices shows an increase of 0-51 per cent, on the number sent during 1925-26, and the number sent to Australian offices shows an increase of 1-22 per cent. Messages received from international offices increased by 1-87 per cent., and messages from Australia decreased by 0-33 per cent. The proportion of cable messages sent " via Pacific " was less than that sent by the same route during the previous year, the percentages being 64-29 and 65 respectively. The following table shows the total number of cable messages, excluding Press, forwarded by each route during each of the past five years ; also the percentage of such traffic falling to each.

Press messages numbering 3,090 were sent via Pacific and 4,183 via Eastern, compared with 3,163 and 4,827 respectively during 1925-26. The number received via Pacific was 6,671 and via Eastern 3,916, compared with 5,921 and 4,208 respectively. The following table shows the total number of each class of message, excluding Press, forwarded during 1926-27, as compared with the number forwarded during 1925-26 : —

EXTENSIONS TO TOLL AND TELEGRAPH SYSTEMS. The most important work undertaken during the year in connection with the extension of the toll and telegraph systems was the erection of a new trunk telephone circuit between Christchurch and Seddon. This work was prosecuted vigorously with a view to providing at the earliest possible date a greatly extended range of toll communication both within the South Island itself and between the North and South Islands. In addition to providing a valuable link for communication between Christchurch and Wellington, the erection of this trunk line will render possible a rearrangement of the existing circuits between Christchurch and Blenheim, which will considerably improve the toll facilities between Christchurch and the North Canterbury exchanges. A considerable number of lines of less general importance were erected during the year. These either gave service to localities which had previously not enjoyed the privileges and convenience of the telephone, or provided relief between places where traffic congestion had been acute. In addition, a great deal of reconstruction work was carried out both for the purposes of improving the stability and increasing the accommodation of pole-lines and for rearranging the circuits so as to increase their earning-power. A number of earth-working circuits were converted to metallic, this course being rendered necessary owing to the erection of high-power electric wires. Altogether the traffic-carrying capacity of the network of toll and telegraph circuits throughout the Dominion was considerably increased during the year.

23

Pacific. Eastern. Year. Messages. P of Totaf 6 Year 1 -Messages. 86 1922-23 157,895 67-4 1922-23 76,455 32-6 1923-24 167,922 65-9 1923-24 86,797 34-1 1924-25 185,680 65-3 1924-25 98,571 34-7 1925-26 204,586 65 1925-26 110,146 35 1926-27 204,051 64-29 1926-27 113,355 35-7]

1926-27. ] 1925-26. Forwarded. I Received, j Forwarded. Received. 1 __J Full-rate international cable messages .. .. 82,128 78,498 84,074 81,115 Deferred international cable messages .. .. j 23,529 23,895 21,263 21,642 Daily letter-telegrams ... .. .. .. 33,116 24,554 j 31,849 21,086 Week-end telegrams .. .. .. 27,274 15,352 28,020 15,837 Australian cable messages .. .. .. 89,954 88,527 ! 96,266 98,592 Australian night-letter telegrams .. .. 61,405 51,913 j 53,260 42,327 Totals .. .. .. .. 317,406 282,739 314,732 280,599 (For further statement of the Dominion's cable business see page 39.)

F.—l

24

The following is a list of places between which existing circuits were improved or new circuits were provided : — Thames-Coromandel. Hastings-Taradale. Hamilton-Matamata. Hastings-Fernhill. Kohukohu-Kaitaia. T aradale-Meeanee. Kaeo-Mangonui. Napier-Kotemaori. Auckland-Paparoa. Napier Putorino. Auckland-Ruawai. Wanganui-Palmerston North Auckland-Mau ngaturoto. W anganui-Ha wera. Hamilton-Raglan. Eltham-Moeroa. Aotea-Raglan. Woodville-Ku meroa. Kawhia-Oparau. Wellington-Porirua. Te Kumi - Waitomo Caves. Wellington-Plimmerton-Pahautanui. Taupiri-Orini. Nelson-Murchison. Auckland Papakura. Glenhope-Murchison. Auckland-Manurewa. Motueka - Sandy Bay-Umukuri. Auckland-Pukekohe. Murchison - Owen River. Auckland -Waiuku. Murchison-Longford. Auckland-Patumahoe. Owen Junction - Gowan Bridge. Auckland-Tuakau. Greymouth-Reefton. Pukekohe-Waiuku Patumahoe. Geraldine - Peel Forest. Waiuku-Waipipi. Dunedin-Invercargill. Pukekohe-Paparata Valley. Dunedin-Gore. Patnmahoe - Waiau Pa. Ranfurly-Poolburn. Auckland-Henderson. Clyde-Cromwell. Henderson-Glen Eden. Invercargill-Wyndham. Napier-Gisborne. Gore-Wyndham. INTER-ISLAND TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION. The submarine portion of the continuously loaded four-core inter-Island telephone cable which was laid across Cook Strait in March, 1926, and of the laying of which an account was given in last year's report, was brought into use immediately to provide continuous telephone service between "Wellington and the Nelson, Blenheim, Picton, and Seddon Exchanges. From the 17th August, 1926, the facility of toll communication with Wellington was extended to the Canvastown, Havelock, Hillersden, Rai Valley, and Ward Exchanges. It was not possible to extend the range of communication beyond those limits until other works had been completed. These works included the laying and jointing of a trench cable between the extremities of the submarine cable and the Wellington and Seddon Exchanges respectively, the installation of telephone repeater equipment (valve amplifiers) at Wellington and Seddon, and the construction of an open aerial trunk telephone circuit between Seddon and Christchurch. To bridge the gaps between the landing-points of the submarine cable and the Wellington and Seddon Exchanges respectively it was necessary to lay eight and a half nautical miles of trench cable— three miles and a half of which was laid between the Wellington Central Exchange and Lyall Bay, and five miles between the Seddon Exchange and the mouth of the Blind River. To facilitate handling and transport at this end the trench cable was shipped from London in lengths of 520 yards. Although elaborate electrical tests had been made at the manufacturers' works to determine the best method of jointing-up the cores in the various lengths supplied, it was necessary to repeat the tests at Wellington before the laying of the ca.ble was commenced, in order that any necessary adjustments could be made in the jointing scheme in the event of its being found that any appreciable change had taken place in the electrical characteristics of the cable through the extensive handling that it had undergone before it reached the Department's stores. In a cable of this kind there are eight different methods of jointing the four cores together at each joint, and it is necessary to determine the order in which the various lengths should be laid and which of the eight core combinations should be adopted at each joint so that the electrical characteristics of the cores may be accurately balanced one against the other. This condition of balance is essential in order to ensure immunity from cross-talk and over-hearing between the telephone circuits, and to eliminate any interference in the telephone circuits caused by the transmission of telegraph signals over the superimposed telegraph circuits. By the use of suitable terminal apparatus, three telephone circuits and four single-current telegraph circuits will be operated over the four cores of the cable. It is satisfactory to note that the final tests of the completed cable from the Wellington Central Exchange to the Seddon Exchange show that its efficiency in every respect is the same as when it was despatched from the works. The new building at Seddon for housing the telephone repeater equipment associated with the cable was completed in November, 1926. The repeater equipment was delivered in the Dominion early in February, 1927, and installation at Wellington and Seddon is now in progress. It is expected that the equipment will be tested out and ready for use about the end of June, 1927. The construction of the telephone trunk circuit between Seddon and Christchurch, referred to at page 23, should also be completed in June; and it may be expected that the inter-Island telephone service will be extended about that time to permit of toll service being available between

F;—l

25

Christchurcli, Blenheim, and Nelson Exchanges on the one hand, and exchanges in the North Island as far as Napier and Wangamii on the other. In addition, it is expected that subscribers in the Auckland City area will be able, by means of a special trunk circuit which exists between Wellington and Auckland, to communicate with subscribers in the Christ church, Nelson, and. Blenheim areas. It is intended, by the use of additional repeating apparatus at suitable points, to extend the range of inter-Island telephone communication, but the extent to which this will be done will depend largely upon technical and other considerations, not the least important of the latter being the extent to which the public avails itself of the new long-distance.circuits. TOLL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN KINGSTON AND QUEENBTOWN. The Queenstown-Kingston morse circuit was converted to a toll circuit from the 30th July, 1926. This enables Queenstown to communicate by telephone with Invercargill via Kingston and Lumsden. TARIFF FOR TRUNK-LINE CALLS. A concession in the charge for toll communications has been granted by permitting half rates to operate froni 8 p.m. instead of 9 p.m. The tariff has also been amended to provide for the cost of calls up to three minutes for distances beyond 150 miles being reduced for each additional ten miles or fraction thereof from 2d. to Id. During the hours from 8 p.m. to midnight and from 8 a.m. to 8 a.m. the rate is reduced to Jd. From midnight to 6 a.m. for calls up to six minutes, at distances beyond 150 miles, the rate is -|d. for each additional ten miles or fraction thereof. The reduction on long-distance messages will be of special benefit when the Cook Strait telephonecable is available for through traffic. For example, between Auckland and Christchurcli the charge for a three-minute message under the existing rate will be 4s. Id. less than what it would have been before the rate was reduced. EFFECT OF HIGH-TENSION LINES. The ramifications of extra-high-tension power-lines, which now extend to practically every part of the Dominion, and in many cases parallel telegraph and telephone circuits for long distances, necessitate departmental lines being maintained in the highest state of efficiency. Notwithstanding this, damage to departmental apparatus has occurred and severe acoustic shocks have been received by employees due to faults on power lines affecting inductively communication circuits in the vicinity of such faults. The conversion of earth-working toll lines and telephone-exchange systems to metalliccircuit working, so as to eliminate inductive interference from high-power lines, continues. This, together with the provision of protective devices, adds considerably to the cost of giving service. MACHINE-PRINTING TELEGRAPHS. The success attending the introduction of machine-printing apparatus has led the Department to extend the system. Since April, 1926, Wanganui has been enabled to work with Auckland and Christchurcli through automatic retransmitters at Wellington. The installation of machine-printing apparatus at Napier for communication with Auckland and Wellington was completed on the 31st March, 1927. In addition, facilities were provided at Napier for automatically relaying traffic between Wellington and Auckland, thus affording an alternative multiplex route between those places, which should be of great value when the normal routes are interrupted. The total length of the circuit over which the machine-printing system is now operating in New Zealand is 2,298 miles, from which are derived 9,192 miles of two-way channels of communication. As the multiplex circuits are arranged at present, sixty-four messages can be transmitted between the various terminal stations simultaneously. The rate of transmission being forty words per minute, the aggregate traffic-carrying capacity of the various multiplex circuits is 2,560 words per minute. Without the multiplex, the maximum traffic-carrying capacity of the same circuits would be only 800 words per minute. It is the intention of the Department to install the new system in other centres as traffic and circumstances warrant. It is interesting to note that Mr. Donald Murray, the inventor of much of the machine-printing apparatus used by the Department, who recently visited the Dominion, expressed great admiration of the skill displayed by the Engineering Branch of the Department in installing and operating the apparatus from written instructions alone. Machine-printing apparatus was installed in the office of the Pacific Cable Board at Auckland on the 6th August, 1926 ; and a trial is being made of direct communication between Wellington and the terminal station of the Board in Auckland. The arrangement has the effect of eliminating the delay arising out of the handling in the Auckland Telegraph-office of cable messages from Wellington. MAINTENANCE OF LINES. Notwithstanding a number of storms of exceptional severity during the year, telegraph and telephone communication was satisfactorily maintained. An exceptionally heavy gale during the night of Saturday, the 11th July, 1926, and on Sunday, the 12th idem, caused considerable damage to telegraph, toll, and exchange circuits in various parts of the Auckland District, service in many cases being totally interrupted.

4—F. 1,

F.—l

26

Heavy floods on the west coast of the South Island in October, 1926, caused complete isolation by telegraph and telephone of Westport and the surrounding district. Notwithstanding the fact that poles and lines were carried away over an extensive area, and bridges and roads were destroyed, the Engineering Branch performed, under extremely arduous conditions, most creditable work in promptly restoring communication. During the height of the flood the s.s. " Kaiwarra," which was anchored in the Westport roadstead, communicated particulars of the flood to a departmental radio coast station. This is noteworthy as being the first occasion upon which a wireless installation on board a vessel has been used to report particulars of interruptions to New Zealand land lines. In November, as a result of a severe gale in North Canterbury, accompanied by heavy rain, telegraphic communication between Wellington and Christchurch was totally interrupted. On the 2nd December, owing to the mine disaster at Dobson, all the main lines north of Greymouth were interrupted for a short period. On the night of the 25th March all lines on the east coast of the South Island were interrupted six miles north of Kaikoura, The interruption was due to an iron roof being blown on to the wires. On the west coast also exceptionally stormy conditions caused dislocation of all wires east and south of Greymouth. In no case was there any avoidable delay in restoring commilnication ; and in most cases the work was carried out under extremely arduous conditions. POLES AND WIRE. During the year 75 miles of pole-line and 2,174 miles of wire were erected or acquired for telegraph and telephone (toll) purposes, while 72 miles of pole-line and 344 miles of wire were dismantled, or, in localities where no longer required by the Department, sold to settlers for use as private telephone-lines. The lengths of pole-line and wire in use for telegraph and telephone toll purposes on the 31st March, 1926 and 1927, respectively, were as follow : —

The telegraph and telephone wire in use on the 31st March, 1927—viz., 61,732 miles—is classified as under : — Miles. Used exclusively for telephone toll traffic .. .. .. .. 4,713 Used exclusively for telegraph traffic .. .. .. .. .. 10,995 Used simultaneously and (or) conjointly for telegraph and telephone toll traffic .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 46,024 The total length of wire that may be used for telephone toll traffic is therefore 50,737 miles ; the total length that may be used for the transmission of telegrams, 57,019 miles ; and the length of telephone toll-lines over which telegrams may be transmitted by telephone, 23,385 miles. The total length of Morse circuit derived from the superimposing of telephone circuits is 12,259 miles, and the total length of additional telephone toll circuit improvised from the existing wire circuits by the use of subsidiary apparatus associated therewith (so-called phantom working) is 4,740 miles. The following table shows the class and number of telegraph instruments and batteries in use at telegraph-offices for the year ended 31st March, 1927 : — 1

! Year ended Year ended I ole-lme and Wire. | 3i st March, 1926. 3]st March, 1927. Miles of pole-line .. ' .. .. .. .. .. 13,155* 13,158 Miles of wire .. .. .. .. .. .. 59,902* 61,732 * Revised figures.

27

I

g-g I I j I Primary Batteries. Telegraph Instrument Seta. ; storas 6 Jj«.-vuCric»s other than j i 77 Univer- Number of Cells. Engineering District. Simplex. Duplex. , Miilti"' C — rators - Battery — | . ; P , "A" Side "A" Side Forked plex Systems. Working. Tonlnnflip *- Quad- Quad- , , rriaved 0llad £ets Leclanche. g g . Con- Inter- (Central Q . , T . ,, ruplex. ruplex flayed relayed yuaa bets _ gS 3- § stant mittent | Battery p Sln S le . p Doubl « Repeater Du P lex ' Simplex, ruplex. (Quad- Xu mber.Capac.ty ■ Nnmhar I || -g 2 Current Current. J Omnibus Current Current | No. 1. | No. 0. j No, 2. 1 J Jjg Auckland ..35 81 40 8 ■ 9 18 1 6 9 4 2 10 1 116 ! 5,015 1,846 1,840 .... | ... ' Wellington 95 118 13 25 13 ! 7 4 9 10 1 10 1 134 10,029 1,056 4,379 318 209 166 Canterbury ..41 79.. 6 8 6 4.. 1 3 2 10 1 6 3,356 584 1,305 127 Otago .. ..31 76 1 2 5 1 1 1 1 10 58 3,720 346 854 .. Totals .. 202 354 40 28 44 ! 47 13 11 1 18 18 6 3 314 22,120 3,832 ,378 445 209 166

F.—l

28

NEW ZEALAND SUBMARINE CABLES. TheJPacific Cable Board's cable-steamer " Iris " yas chartered in November, 1926, for the repair of two of the Cook Strait telegraph-cables, one of which (No. 3 OB), had been out of commission since July, 1924, owing to the development of a pronounced earth fault about 400 yards from the Oteronga Bay cable-hut-. The second cable (No. 2 OB), became faulty earty in November, 1926, in this case also owing to a pronounced earth fault. Electrical tests placed the fault approximately eight nautical miles from White Bay. There are six telegraph-cables connecting the North and South Islands, three of which are laid between White Bay and Oteronga Bay, two between White Bay and Lyall Bay, and one between Diffenbach (Queen Charlotte Sound) and Titahi Bay. The postponement of repairs to the cable that was interrupted in 1924 was rendered possible by the increased carryingcapacity of the remaining cables due to the extended use of the multiplex machine - printing telegraph system. The loss of the services of one cable does not now cause any appreciable delay on telegraph traffic, and a considerable saving in expenditure is effected by delaying the charter of the cable-repair steamer until two or more cables require attention. While the " Iris " was taking in cable from the Department's tanks at Wellington for the repair of the two cables referred to above, a break was reported in No. 4 Lyall Bay - White Bay cable. Tests showed this break to be about fifteen nautical miles from Lyall Bay. Unusual difficulties were met with in effecting repairs to the cables, the skill of the ship's officers and crew being taxed to the utmost. Erom the moment the vessel entered Cook Strait she encountered strong gales and heavy seas, which frequently forced her to seek shelter in Port Underwood. In addition strong spring tides, which were running up to five knots off Oteronga Bay, rendered the operation of grappling doubly difficult, the irons being lifted from the sea-bed by the force of the current and in several instances being carried under the ship. Much time was spent in searching for the faulty cable about eight nautical miles from White Bay. It was found that the cables in this locality had become buried under a layer of silt from the Wairau River, and dragging with grapnels, which search to a depth of 14 in. in the mud, failed to discover any trace of the faulty cable. Finally it was decided to grapple five miles farther out to sea, at which point the cable was picked up, and from there it was taken in until the fault was located. The repairs to all three cables were completed a few days before Christmas, the ship having spent almost five weeks on the work. Repairs to the Bluff - Stewart Island cable also were effected. These repairs involved the laying of three-quarters of a mile of cable at the Bluff end. The work was carried out with the aid of one of the boats used in the oyster trade, the repair cable being shipped from Wellington to Bluff in one of the Union Steamship Co.'s coastal steamers. The survey of Oteronga Bay was, completed in June, 1926. This work necessitated the taking of numerous soundings and the sweeping of a large area in the bay so that a safe anchorage could be found for ships that might be required to undertake repair work in this locality. The survey was carried out by Captain Whiteford, of the Marine Department. WIRELESS SERVICES. INTERNATIONAL RADIOTELEGRAPH CONFERENCE. An International Radiotelegraph Conference will be held at Washington, U.S.A., during 1927. The Department will be represented by the Chief Telegraph Engineer,.Mr. A. Gibbs, M.1.E.E.. The last conference was held in London in 1912. In view of the great advance in the science during the last fifteen years, the need for international agreement and regulations upon the many aspects of radiotelegraphy and radio-telephony has become increasingly evident. Broadcasting by radio-telephony, radio-beacons, and radio-goniometric stations are some of the related aspects of the science that will no doubt be made subjects of international pronouncements. Apart from the object of co-ordinating regulations adopted by individual countries, it is likely that much useful information will be obtained from an intimate knowledge of the experience gained and the conditions pertaining in other countries. In particular, it is expected that international regulations will be framed regarding the wave-lengths to be allotted to the various radio-electric services. NEW ZEALAND COAST STATIONS: EQUIPMENT, OPERATION, ETC. Auckland. •Valve Transmitter and Receiver. —In addition to a valve transmitter which was provided for the purpose of eliminating interference by morse to broadcast listeners, a new receiver has been installed at Radio-Auckland. As this station is situated in the centre of the city, considerable interference from tramways, electric motors, &e., is encountered. This, together with the incidence of broadcasting in Auckland, necessitates special attention being paid to the receiving-apparatus. The present receiver is designed to eliminate as far as possible interference of this nature. Awarua. Short-wave working. —A modern short-wave receiver has been installed at this station. The experimental low-power short-wave transmitter has also been rewired on modern lines, and has been the means of effecting a marked saving in power-consumption. By means of this set traffic has been exchanged with the R.M.S. " Makura " throughout the vessel's voyages between New Zealand and San Francisco.

29

F.—l

During the whaling season just ended a considerable volume of traffic was exchanged between Radio-Awarua and the whaling-ships in the Antarctic. Owing to the great distance of these ships from Radio-Awarua--the nearest coast station —it was necessary in past years to resort to high-power working in order to clear traffic for the vessels. This -year, however, all traffic was handled on short waves. Battery-charging Plant. —By the installation at}|Radio-Awarua of an[]electric-power rectifier, the accumulators can now be charged from the hydro-electric-power supply. Previously the method of charging these cells was by means of a generator driven by an internal-combustion engine. Provision of Note-filter. —A special note-filter was installed during February to improve reception from the British high-power station at Rugby. The filter is proving very efficient. Wellington. Demolition of Mast. —A gale of exceptional severity which raged in Wellington on the 12th May, 1926, caused the demolition of the aerial tower at Radio-Wellington. The tower was of the selfsupporting type, 165 ft. in height, and was constructed of galvanized angle-steel. Examination of the mast after the fall showed that the collapse had been due to the shearing-off of the bolts by which the tower had been secured to the concrete base. Within a few minutes after the crash a temporary antenna was improvised and the normal watch for distress-signals was re-established. The following day a 60 ft. steel mast and a new antenna were erected, and the normal traffic service was resumed. Awanui. Routine maintenance only was carried out at this station, which continued to handle efficiently a large volume of traffic between New Zealand and the Pacific islands. Opportunity was taken during the year to conduct experiments in low-power short-wave working with Radio-Apia (Samoa), and the result of these experiments has been of considerable value in connection with the projected short-wave service between Radio-Wellington and the Pacific islands. Chatham Islands. A party of workmen was despatched to Chatham Islands on the 22nd February, 1927, to undertake the repainting and overhaul of the steel tower. In consequence of the collapse of the steel tower at Wellington Radio-station, it is deemed desirable to provide stays for the Chatham Islands tower, which is also of the self-supporting type, 150 ft. in height. This is being done in conjunction with the repainting and overhaul of the tower. WIRELESS TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN AUCKLAND HARBOUR AND TIRITIRI. By arrangement with the Auckland Harbour Board, wireless telegraph and telephone communication was established in October, 1926, between King's Wharf, Auckland, and Tiritiri Island, in the Hauraki Gulf. Each station has a power of 10 watts and operates on a wave-length of 200 metres. The stations are owned and operated by the Auckland Harbour Board. PROPOSED SHORT-WAVE SERVICE BETWEEN NEW ZEALAND AND THE PACIFIC ISLANDS. Apparatus for experimental short-wave transmission is now being installed at Radio-Wellington with a view to providing direct short-wave communication with the Pacific Islands in which New Zealand is interested, thus obviating the relaying of traffic by Radio-Apia. Experiments with improvised apparatus have for some time been carried out between Awanui (New Zealand) and Apia (Samoa), with very satisfactory results. During the course of these experiments it has been clearly demonstrated that short-wave working with low power is frequently practicable when atmospheric interference renders high-power long-wave working an impossibility. If the results of further experiments which are to be conducted shortly are as satisfactory as is anticipated, and certain difficulties confronting simultaneous commercial- and short-wave communication, &c., can be successfully overcome, it is probable that short-wave signalling will be utilized by New Zealand coast stations to a much greater extent than in the past. OPENING OF RADIO-STATIONS IN PACIFIC ISLANDS. Inter-Island radio communication in the Pacific islands was extended during the year by the erection of radio-stations at Aleipata (VMCN), Fagamalo (VMCP), Tuasivi (VMCQ), and Salailua (VMCZ) in the Samoan Group, and at Fakaofo (VMCY) in the Tokelau or Union Group. The stations are fitted with low-power valve transmitters, and communication is with Apia only. Telegrams from New Zealand are accepted at the rate of Is. 2d. per word. VALUE OF RADIO-TELEGRAPHY TO SHIPS IN DISTRESS. The wreck of the s.s. " Manaia " on the 10th June, 1926, exemplified in a marked degree the value of wireless installations on coastal ships. The " Manaia " carrying sixty passengers from Tauranga to Auckland, struck Slipper Island at 11.30 p.m. and was held fast on the rocks. Immediately the

F.—l

30

ship struck she communicated with Radio-Auckland, whence the information was broadcast to othef ships, enabling arrangements to be made for the prompt despatch of the steamer " Rimu." In addition, Radio-Auckland intercepted by radio at 2 a.m. the s.s. " Ngapuhi," bound from Whangarei to Auckland, whereupon she was diverted to the assistance of the " Manaia." The passengers and crew of the ill-fated vessel were subsequently transferred to the steamers " Rimu " and " Ngapuhi," and brought on to Auckland. The " Manaia " was abandoned. The R.M.S. " Makura," outward bound from Wellington on the 14th September, 1926, received at 8 p.m. a lamp signal from a small unknown vessel to the effect that the signalling ship was short of coal. The " Makura" (an oil-fuel ship) promptly repeated the message by radio to Radio-Wellington, which station immediately notified shipmasters and others concerned. The vessel in distress was later found to be the small fishing steamer " Awarua," which was some days overdue from Chatham Islands en route to Wellington. Two tugs, the "Toia" and the " Terawhiti," were despatched from Wellington in search of the distressed vessel. Later H.M.S. "Dunedin," which was carrying out gunnery practice at sea, was communicated with. The "Dunedin" also participated in the search, and ultimately found the "Awarua," which had been blown by the gale up the east coast of the North Island almost to East Gape. Advice was received on the 15th October, 1926, that the s.s. " Omana " was ashore on Tiritiri Island, in the Hauraki Gulf. The vessel was not fitted with wireless, but the s.s. " Clansman," which carried an installation, stood by and passed messages to Radio-Auckland. The " Omana " was refloated the same day. In addition to rendering valuable assistance in cases of ships in distress, the New Zealand radiostations receive and broadcast to navigators messages relating to the position and nature of derelicts and other dangers to navigation, the failure of light-buoys and other signalling-apparatus to function, as well as messages of a general character intended for the guidance of mariners. INSTALLATION OF RADIO BEACON STATION. The installation of a radio beacon station at Cape Maria Van Diemen in the behalf of the Marine Department was completed on the 20th August, 1926. After undergoing tests the station was brought into operation on the Ist December, 1926. Any ships within range which are fitted with the requisite apparatus are able to take their bearings by means of the radio signals automatically transmitted from the beacon during conditions of low visibility. Masters of vessels desiring the beacon to operate ill normal conditions may communicate with the beacon by way of the Awanui Radio-station. Since the inception of the service the beacon has operated satisfactorily. The wave-length employed is 1,000 metres. This, the first installation of its kind in the Dominion, can be regarded as a striking instance of the manner in which radio science is being applied for the protection and assistance of ships at sea. WEATHER REPORTS FROM SHIPS AT SEA. Arrangements have been made for the reception at New Zealand radio coast stations from ships at sea of weather-report telegrams for the Meteorological Office. EXAMINATION FOR SHIP OPERATORS' CERTIFICATES. Commencing in November, 1926, arrangements were made for special monthly examinations in operating to enable holders of second-class certificates in radio-telegraphy to qualify for first-class certificates. BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS MESSAGES. The hope expressed in last year's report that reliable reception in New Zealand of the British official radio messages transmitted from the high-power station at Rugby, England, would soon be accomplished has been realized. After a number of experiments and consequent improvements in the receiving-apparatus at the Radio-Awarua station, these messages are being successfully received except during times of abnormal atmospheric conditions. Considerable interference from other European high-power stations was at first encountered, but by means of a filtering-device such interference has been overcome. The messages received are supplied by the Prime Minister's Department to the United Press Association for distribution to newspapers. As they emanate directly from the British Government, their purport may be considered as an authentic and informative summary of news of an Imperial and international character. Not the least valuable aspect of such direct touch with the Home Government will be the probable correct moulding of public opinion on subjects of Empire concern. RECEPTION OF TRANS-ATLANTIC RADIO TELEPHONY. Since August, 1926, tests have been made with a view to ascertaining the extent to which the trans-atlantic telephone transmissions between Rugby and New York could be heard in New Zealand. The tests clearly indicate that speech can be received when conditions are favourable, but many difficulties will have to be overcome before speech can be reliably received over such an extreme distance.

31

F.—l

ESTABLISHMENT OF BEAM RADTO SERVICE BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND CANADA. The British Administration has notified the opening on the 25th October, 1926, of a radio telegraph service operating 011 the beam system between Great Britain and Canada. Telegrams by this route bear the instruction " Empiradio," RADIO-TELEPHONE BROADCASTING. Tn conformity with the agreement between the Department and the Radio Broadcasting Company of New Zealand, Ltd., modern broadcasting stations have been opened at Auckland and Christchurch. The building for the Wellington station is now in course of erection. It is of interest that the apparatus to be installed at Wellington is claimed to be greater in power-output than any station in operation in the Empire, with the exception of the Daventry station in England. While it is hardly to be expected that the talent available for broadcasting can be as varied or of as uniformly high quality as that obtainable in countries offering a wider selection of artistic talent, it is the intention of the Department to insist, as far as possible, that the programmes broadcast shall be of a high standard, not only in musical and artistic items, but also in the lectures and instructional talks. It is the desire of the Department to afford this modern adjunct of civilization every facility to achieve the same wide popularity that it enjoys in other countries. ELIMINATION OE INTERFERENCE TO BROADCAST LISTENERS. Radiating Receivers.—ln its campaign against interference to broadcasting services the Department is not overlooking that most annoying element, the oscillating, or " howling," valve in radio receivers. Notwithstanding the publicity given to the directions for correct manipulation of radio receivers, it is evident that many listeners, probably in most cases by reason of their zeal to receive signals from far-distant or low-powered stations, are unmindful of these directions, which are given in their own interests. In consequence there is little abatement of the nuisance. The efforts of the Department to combat this form of interference include the examination of the various types of receiving-sets before their use is authorized, with a view to preventing the bringing into use of receivers which, despite reasonably skilled manipulation are likely to cause interfering radiation. A diagram of the circuit, or the trade name of the receiver, proposed to be used is required to be furnished by each applicant for a receiving-station license. From the information thus obtained many undesirable sets have been detected and their use prohibited. With the continually increasing variety of receivers, the work of investigating the interfering properties of the various types has attained some magnitude, involving as it does in many cases tests of the instruments under actual working-conditions. With a view to locating offending apparatus the Department is now providing direction-finders for the use of its Radio Inspectors. In addition to detecting offending apparatus these officers are required to advise radio listeners in the correct manipulation of their receivers. The direction-finders will be used also for detecting unlicensed stations. Amendment of Rules regarding Ship Transmissions.—A further factor in the elimination of morse interference to broadcast-listeners was the amendment in September, 1926, of the rules governing radio-telegraph transmission by ships in the vicinity of the New Zealand coast. Formerly ships were not permitted to transmit on a wave-length of 450 metres when they came within a radius of twentyfive miles from the nearest commercial station. Under the amended rules, ship stations are forbidden to use the 450-metre wave-length during the evening broadcasting sessions when they come within a 400-mile radius of a New Zealand coast station. During the rest of the day transmissions on a 450 metre wave-length are permitted except when ships are within a radius of 100 miles of a coast station. Installation oj Valve Transmitters at Commercial Coast Stations.- The combined continuous-wave and interrupted-continuous-wave valve transmitter, to which reference was made in last year's report, has since been brought into use at Radio-Auckland. The low-power valve transmitting-set which was temporarily in use at that station has been transferred to Radio-Awarua for use during broadcasting hours. In consequence of these and similar installations at other stations, interference to broadcasting caused by morse transmissions from New Zealand coast stations has been almost entirely eliminated. Inductive Interjerence jrom Power Lines and Electrical Apparatus. —It is pleasing to record that ready assistance is being rendered by some electric light and power supply authorities in the matter of minimizing interference to radio reception caused by induction from faulty power lines and from electrical apparatus. With a view to encouraging Power Boards to take up the work of locating such sources of interference, licenses are being issued free of charge to power authorities in respect of radio apparatus used exclusively for this purpose. In view of the obvious benefits to be derived by Power Boards from the early detection of incipient faults in their lines or apparatus, it is anticipated that power authorities will adopt a systematic inspection of their plant. PRIVATE RADIO-STATIONS. The number of radio receiving licenses in force at the 31st March, 1927, was 18,162, as against 3,588 for the preceding year. This remarkable increase may be ascribed to the opening of regular broadcasting stations at Auckland and Christchurch.

F.—l

32

On the 7th August, 1926, the date oil which the new station at Auckland commenced operations, the number of receiving licenses was 4,400. This number had increased to over 5,000 on the Ist September, when the new station at Christchurch was opened. At the end of December, the number was over 12,000 and a gradual increase took place until the 31st March. With the installation of the new high-power station at Wellington it is anticipated that the number of licenses for the year 1927-28 will be double the number for 1926-27. FAILURE TO RENEW RADIO LICENSES. The efforts of the Department in bringing to book individuals operating radio sets without a license met with an unexpected hindrance in the shape of a magisterial decision that failure to renew a license after the 31st March of any year was not an offence under the Post and Telegraph Act. The situation was met by an amendment to the regulations in the direction of providing that every owner of apparatus for wireless telegraphy who fails to renew a license after the 31st March shall be obliged to dismantle the apparatus within a stipulated period to be notified in the New Zealand Gazette. It will be necessary to amend the Post and Telegraph Act in the direction of providing a penalty for persons who fail to renew licenses on the due date. ERECTION OF WIRELESS AERIALS. The danger arising from the erection of wireless aerials in proximity to electric-power circuits has led to the making of regulations stipulating that wireless aerials may not, without the consent of the Power Board or other authority concerned, be erected above or below wires used for the supply of electricity, or sufficiently near to cause contact in case of a break in any line. It has also been found necessary to provide that wireless aerials shall not, without the consent of the Minister, be erected above or below any departmental line. DTJNEDIN EXHIBITION BROADCASTING STATION. At the close of the Dunedin Exhibition, the broadcasting station in operation there was removed to a site near the centre of the city. RADIO RECEIVING-APPARATUS FOB THE USE OF THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OP YORK. A radio receiving station with two loud-speaker extensions was established at Their Highnesses' fishing camp at Kowhai Flat, Lake Tokaanu. The apparatus was erected and operated by departmental officers. TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE SERVICE. In connection with the development of the telephone-exchange service it is interesting to note that, while the population of the Dominion has increased by 54 per cent, during the last twenty years, the number of telephone-exchange subscribers has increased by 550 per cent, during the same period. Although it is not expected that this phenomenal rate of development will be maintained, there is no definite indication that the point of saturation has yet been reached. The facilities afforded settlers in country districts for forming rural lines comprising up to ten subscribers for connection with telephone exchanges are undoubtedly of great benefit to the settlers, and have the tendency of removing much of the isolation of living in sparsely populated areas. It is the policy of the Department to make telephone-exchange service increasingly attractive, and to bring it within the reach of the bulk of the population not only in the cities, but in the rural areas as well. Evidence of the popularity of the telephone in rural areas is the fact that in the latest telephone statistics of the world, compiled on the Ist January, 1925, New Zealand is shown as having a greater number of telephones per 100 of population in rural communities than any other country in the world, with the exception of the United States of America and Canada. The conversion of the cabling system in the Christchurch area from aerial to underground, and the complete reconstruction of' the other outside distributing plant which is being undertaken preparatory to the conversion of the local switching system from the manual method of operation to automatic, was proceeded with steadily throughout the year, twenty-six miles of ducts and ten miles of cable being laid. As the jointing of the cable was completed, the new cable-wires were brought into operation, thus enabling an improved service to be given to many existing subscribers. A number of exchanges in areas in which Electric-power Boards are now operating were fitted with new devices for ensuring greater protection against the damage likely to be caused to exchange apparatus by contacts between telephone and power lines. At a number of small exchanges, the ringing-facilities of the operators were improved by the installation of power ringers in place of pole-changers, the ringing-current for which was obtained from primary batteries. A brief summary of the year's operations in regard to the development and maintenance of the telephone-exchange system in the Dominion is as follows : — The opening of new magneto exchanges at Kaukapakapa, Poolburn, Omakau, Oturehua, and Upper Moutere. The conversion to automatic working of the magneto exchanges at Tlawera and Takapuna.

33

F.—l

The conversion to metallic-circuit working of the Kumara and Ross Exchanges. The extension of the switching equipment at forty manual exchanges and three automatic exchanges. The erection of 948 miles of pole-line and 8,666 miles of open aerial wire for telephoneexchange subscribers' circuits. The laying or erecting of 168 miles of lead-covered cable containing 47,415 miles of wire for subscribers' circuits. The connection of 10,593 new subscribers' stations. The maintenance of 132,089 telephone-stations. The steady growth of the telephone system is exemplified in the following table,Jwhich shows annually since 1918 the number of exchanges, the total wire-mileage, the revenue, and the total number of telephone-stations, together with the number of telephones for each population of the Dominion: —

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, 1927, are shown in the following table : —

5 —F. 1.

Number of Telephone-stations. Year. Number of JVTiles of Wire. Revenue. Exchan g es - Tn . , Per 1,000 Total. X, ,' . -Population. £ 1918 .. .. .. 280 154,799 344,368 67,763 58-67 1919 .. .. .. 287 165,962 373,169 72,561 61-59 1920 .. .. .. 291 177,509 419,318 80,723 65-26 1921 .. .. .. 296 192,027 533,535 88,439 69-80 1922 .. .. .. 301 207,529 614,367 94,683 72-78 1923 .. .. .. 320 229,882 595,967 107,036 80-78 1924 .. .. .. 327 269,421 830,470 111,441 82-67 1925 .. .. .. 340 331,453 867,218 120,097* 87-09 1926 .. .. .. 341 402,433 980,281 130,186* 94-40 1927 .. .. .. 342 440,253 995,071 137,307* 95-48 * Includes approximately 5,000 non-exchange stations.

Class I. Class II. Class III. Exchanges or Net- Exchanges or Net- Exchanges or Networks observing works observing works observing Class IV. Continuous Continuous Continuous Exchanges Attendance and Attendance and Attendance and or Networks Dominion having more than having 1,001 to having 201 to where the Totals. 3,500 Paying 3,500 Paying 1,000 Paying Attendance Subscribers' Main Subscribers' Main Subscribers' Main is restricted. Stations con- Stations con- , Stations connected therewith, nected therewith, i nected therewith. Subscribers'main stations .. 36,804 22,429 22,674 25,975 107,882 Toll and service stations .. 618 485 778 2,145 4,026 Public call offices .. .. 314 79 36 6 435 Extension stations —• P.B.X. .. .. .. 5,385 1,290 415 94 7,184 Ordinary .. .. .. 6,992 3,008 1,574 988 12,562 Telephone-stations: Class totals.. 50,113 27,291 25,477 29,208 132,089 Number of exchanges in each class 4 12 49 277 342 Percentage of new connections made 35 19 20 26 with each class of exchange during the year

F:—l

34

Graph depicting the Percentage Increase since 1910 in Toll Revenue, Toll Conversations, Telephone Exchange Revenue, and Subscribers' Stations compared with the Percentage Increase in Population.

F.-l

35

In addition to the stations shown in the preceding table there were 4,329 stations connected by private telephone lines with departmental toll stations, and 889 stations connected with nondepartmental rural exchanges, making a grand total of 137,307 telephone-stations on the 31st March, 1927. Of the new connections made during the year, 3,685 were with Class I exchanges, 2,060 with Class II exchanges, 2,124 with Class 111 exchanges, and 2,724 with Class IY (country) exchanges. The waiting-list at these exchanges now stands at 1,443 ; 201; 207 ; and 390 respectively : total 2,241, compared with 2,193 on the 31st March, 1926. The waiting-list for Class IV exchanges includes 53 applicants for connections at telephone exchanges authorized but not yet opened. The following table shows the number of telephone-stations in each engineering district on the 31st March, 1926 and 1927, respectively, and the percentage of increase in each case : —

The number of subscribers' stations (main and extension) connected with each of the fourteen principal exchanges on the 31st March, 1927, was —Wellington, 15,997 ; Auckland, 15,957 ; Christchurch, 10,290 ; Bunedin, 7,390 ; Wanganui, 3,506 ; Palmerston North, 2,695 ; Hamilton, 2,666 ; G-isborne, 2,583 ; Invercargill, 2,512 ; Napier, 2,503 ; Hastings, 2,369 ; Timaru, 1,883 ; Masterton, 1,860 ; New Plymouth, 1,705. _ The number of party and rural lines on the 31st March, 1927, was 9,152, to which were connected 35,347 main stations—an increase of 321 and 1,607 respectively on the figures for the previous year. The following table shows, for each class of exchange, the respective percentages of business and residential stations, also the respective percentages of individual- and party-line stations, on the 31st. March, 1927 :—

The length in miles of the various items of telephone-exchange plant in existence on the 31st March, 1926, and 1927, respectively, was as follows :—

Number of Stations on 31st March, „ . . t 1926. j . 1927. Engineering District. p eJ j ; centagb Main Extension . , Main j Extension m„, i T Stations. Stations. 0 a ' Stations, j Stations, j a ' ncrease. Auckland .. 31,528 4,668 36,196 33,271 5,073 38,344 5-9 Wellington .. 44,825 8,003 52,828 47,252 8,627 55,879 5-7 Canterbury .. .. 16,230 3,399 19,629 16,770 3,545 20,315 3-5 Otago .. 14,275 2,444 16,719 15,050 2,501 17,551 5-0 Totals 106,858 18,514 125,372 112,343 19,746 132,089 5*3

p , ! Class I Class II Class III j C lass IV Dominion Percentage o Exchanges. Exchanges, j Exchanges. Exchanges. Percentages. . Business stations .... 42 34 29 24 33 Residential stations .. .. 58 66 71 76 67 100 100 100 100 100 Individual-line stations .. ■. 90 74 56 41 68 Party- and rural-line stations .. 10 26 44 59 32 100 100 100 100 100

Cable. Wire. j Pole-line. Under- ... In Under- In Aerial „ . . . I Under all ground. Aenal " ground Cable. Cable. U P en AenaL | Headings. In existence on 31st 11,057 722 662 247,279 76,478 78,676 402,433 March, 1926 Erected during year .. 948 106 62 41,739 5 ,676 8,666 56 ,081 Dismantled during year 93 8 89 3,687 10,802 3,772 18,261 In existence on 31st 11,912 820 635 285,331 71,351 83,571* 440,253 March, 1927 * Includes 717 miles of earth-working circuit.

p.—l

36

The percentages of the total wire-mileage in underground and aerial cables and open aerial wire respectively for the year ended 31st March, 1927, are as under : — Telephone-exchange wire in underground cables .. .. .. cent. Telephone-exchange wire in aerial cables .. .. 16 „ Telephone-exchange wire in open aerial wires .. .. 19 „ In the telephone statistics of the world (compiled on the Ist January, 1925) the United States leads as regards density, with 14-2 telephones per 100 of population; Canada is second, with 11-6 telephones ; Denmark is third, with 9 telephones ; while New Zealand takes fourth place, with 8-7 telephones. Australia and Great Britain occupy seventh and tenth places respectively, with 5-5 and 2-8 telephones per 100 of population. The number of telephones per 100 of population of the world is 1-4. AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGES. A noteworthy event in the history of automatic-telephone-exchange development in the Dominion was the cutting into service at Hawera on the 29th January, 1927, of the first all-British automatic exchange installed in New Zealand. The equipment was manufactured by the Peel Connor Telephone Co., England, but the installation work was carried out by the Department's staff. Two more all-British automatic exchanges are in course of erection, at Dannevirke and Stratford respectively, and these will be cut into service within a few months. The equipment at Dannevirke was manufactured by the Peel Connor Telephone Co., England, and that at Stratford by Messrs. Siemens Bros., Ltd., England. In accordance with the Department's policy, consideration is being given to the question of converting to automatic working several of the larger manually-operated exchanges where the present equipment has outlived its usefulness and where other circumstances warrant the conversion. A considerable amount of installation work was carried out during the year at various automatic exchanges where additional equipment was required to provide accommodation for new subscribers. Auckland Metropolitan Abba and District Automatic Telephone Exchanges. Auckland—•Continued satisfaction with the local automatic system is freely expressed by telephone subscribers. The number of faults showed a steady decline during the year. The manually-operated telephone exchange at Takapuna, with 280 subscribers, was converted to the automatic system of operation on the 21st February, 1927, and the subscribers connected with that exchange are now able to communicate with all other subscribers in the Auckland metropolitan exchange area free of toll charges. The cutting into service of the Takapuna Automatic Exchange completed the installation of the seven automatic exchanges comprising the Auckland metropolitan area. Delay in the receipt of apparatus to provide accommodation for additional subscribers at Mount Eden, Remuera, Ponsonby, and Devonport Automatic Exchanges has swelled the waiting-list in those areas. The equipment is being installed as it comes to hand, and every effort is being made to join up the waiting applicants at the earliest possible date. At Mount Eden and Remuera Automatic Exchanges the switch-room accommodation has been doubled to provide for the housing of extension equipment under order. During the year all manually-operated party lines which were previously switched at auxiliary manual boards in the Wellesley Street Automatic Exchange toll-room were converted to the automatic system of operation. Provision is now being made for the following extension to the switching equipment of exchanges in the Auckland metropolitan area : Mount Eden (1,200 individual lines and 100 two-party lines), Remuera (1,000 individual lines and 200 two-party lines), and Wellesley Street (3,000 individual lines and 100 two-party lines). Hamilton. —At the Hamilton Automatic Telephone Exchange various additions to the equipment were effected. An extension of 200 exclusive lines was completed in September. A further extension of the toll and rural section was put in hand in November and is now nearing completion. Extensions to the exchange building are being proceeded with to provide accommodation for additional switchingapparatus. The installation of an initial extension of 200 exclusive lines and 100 two-party lines is being provided for. No troubles affecting service occurred at Hamilton during the year. Christchurch Metropolitan Area Automatic Telephone Exchanges. Christchurch. —Steady progress has been made with the installation of the Western Electric automatic-exchange equipment, and all the material at present available in Christchurch is in position and is being cabled and wired. It is anticipated that the remainder of the equipment will- be available, shortly, and every endeavour will be made to have it installed and ready for working during the year 1927-28. ' . . - ' "':V V The auxiliary automatic apparatus at present in use is giving satisfactory service, and when the exchange is converted to full automatic working this apparatus will be available for use elsewhere.

F.—l

37

Dunedin Metropolitan Area and District Automatic Telephone "Exchanges. Dunedin. —During the year the installation at the Dunedin Central Automatic Exchange of 4,000 exclusive lines, 100 two-party lines, 100 four-party lines, and the toll-board has progressed steadily. It is now within measurable distance of completion, and it is expected that the conversion of the present manual system to full automatic operation will be effected about the end of May, 1927. The Dunedin Central Automatic Exchange has an ultimate capacity of 10,000 lines, while South Dunedin and Roslyn have each an ultimate capacity of 2,000 lines. At the Roslyn Automatic Exchange the present installation will provide for 1,000 exclusive lines and 100 two-party lines, and at South Dunedin, for 1,300 exclusive lines and 100 two-party lines. The installation of an air-conditioning plant at the Dunedin Central Automatic Exchange is complete except for final testing, which is uow being proceeded with. Oamaru. —The Oamaru Automatic Telephone Exchange continues to provide an efficient and smooth-running service which is equal to all demands made upon it. An extension of 100 individual lines and 10 rural lines will be installed during the year 1927-28. Wellington Metropolitan Area and District Automatic Telephone Exchanges. Wellington. —The capacity of the Khandallah Automatic Exchange was increased by 200 individual lines, and that of Wellington South Exchange by 400 individual lines. The switch-room accommodation at the Courtenay Place Automatic Exchange is being doubled to provide for an additional 1,000 individual lines, 100 two-party lines, and 200 private automaticexchange lines. Extensions of 400 individual lines at the Kelburn and Wellington South Automatic Exchanges respectively will be commenced during the year 1927-28. The question of linking up with the Wellington Automatic Exchange system the telephone subscribers in the Lower Hutt and Petone areas has been receiving close attention. The work, which will be of some magnitude, involves additional building-accommodation and the installation of expensive automatic switching-equipment, telephones, &c. The erection of an automatic-exchange building at Miramar, to serve the Seatoun-Lyall BayMiramar area, is nearing completion. Automatic equipment to provide for 1,000 individual lines and 100 four-party lines will be installed in the new building, and when cut into service the congestion at the Wellington South Automatic Exchange will be relieved. Masterton. —At the Masterton Automatic Exchange additional switching-apparatus to provide for 200 exclusive lines and 100 two-party lines is in course of installation, and will be completed during the year 1927-28. Napier.—Steady progress was maintained with the installation of the automatic-exchange equipment at Napier. The wiring is now nearing completion and is being tested, and it is expected that everything will be in readiness for converting this exchange to the automatic system of operation before the end of July, 1927. Palmerston North. —Owing to the delay in the receipt of material from overseas for the completion of extension equipment, the connection of a number of waiting subscribers at the Palmerston North Automatic Exchange has been temporarily held up. To relieve the position, arrangements have been made to transfer sufficient equipment from elsewhere to provide service meantime. The installation of an additional 400 individual lines will be commenced during the year 1927-28. Blenheim. —Additional equipment to provide for 100 individual lines and 10 toll lines is under order and will be installed during the year 1927-28. " Interphone " Installations. The " Interphone " intercommunicating telephone system used in conjunction with trunk lines to departmental automatic exchanges has proved a popular adjunct to business houses, and its use is being extended throughout the Dominion. Automatic Private Branch Exchanges. A number of private branch exchanges of the automatic type have recently been installed in large business establishments at Wellington, and a commencement is now being made with installations at Auckland. Users of this system have expressed entire satisfaction with the service given, and orders have been placed for the supply of thirty exchanges of this type. Automatic private-branch-exchange apparatus is not stocked by the Department, but is specially assembled at the factory to meet the varying requirements of subscribers. A recent development of the automatic branch-exchange equipment provides for the use, at selected extension stations, of a special type of " call-back " telephone which enables an outside caller on a trunk line to be held while information is obtained from a local extension telephone, and the conversation resumed on the trunk line when desired. This special " call-back " feature involves the use of two pairs of wires, instead of the usual one pair, between the private branch exchange and each extension station where a " call-back " instrument is installed. In addition, the cost of the " call-back " telephone is double that of the ordinary automatic telephone, while the maintenance costs are proportionately higher. The rate for automatic " call-back" private-branch exchange stations has been fixed at £6 10s. per annum.

F.—l

38

Hereunder is a return showing automatic-exchange equipment installed and in use in the Dominion on the 31st March, 1927 : —

PUBLIC CALL OFFICES (COIN IN THE SLOT). Thirty-one new installations were made in various parts of the Dominion, and a further 89 were authorized to be made. The number of public call offices in operation on the 31st March, 1927, was 435. It is regretted that the Department was unable to comply with all the numerous demands for public-call-telephone cabinets. It has been decided to adopt new types of cabinet for further installations. One type will be of concrete construction, while the other will be of steel framework, and will follow what is known as the "■ Kiosk " type, in accordance with the design of a noted English architect. From the point of view of utility as well as from aesthetic considerations both these new types can be considered as desirable improvements upon the present type of wooden cabinet! The revenue from public call offices for the year ended 31st March, 1927, amounted to £27,407, an increase of £2,220 on the figures for the preceding year. TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT OF TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH ENGINEERING. Where such divergent and rapidly advancing subjects as automatic telephony, printing telegraphs, telephone transmission, radio telegraphy and telephony, line-construction, and submarinecable work have to be studied, and with the public being rapidly educated in the advantages to be derived from the use of telephone, telegraph, and wireless services, both in business and in social spheres, and demanding the most modern facilities, the technical staff is called upon to perform an increasing amount of investigational and developmental work with a view to determining the systems and apparatus best suited to the requirements of the Dominion. In fact, the growth in this higher class of engineering-work has been so considerable during recent years that it has been necessary to increase the qualified personnel of the engineering staff, and further additions to staff as well as increased accommodation will probably have to be provided in the near future. It will be necessary to obtain almost immediately supplies of modern testing apparatus and equipment so as to facilitate investigational work and the testing of materials and apparatus, and to ensure that the Department receives only plant and materials of a relatively high standard.

Number of | Total Numbar Party Lines Number Number Total Number Number of installed. 01 01 Number Exchange. Individual _ . Individual Party- of Extension Automatic Lines I , Line line JVLain q, ,• m •» 1 installed. Two- Four- Stations. Stations. Stations. & tatlons - party, party. Auckland Exchange Area — Wellesley Street .. .. 7,200 .. 100 5,642 250 5,892 2,179 8,071 Remuera .. .. 1,600 .. 100 1,595 320 1,915 150 2,065 Mount Eden .. .. 1,600 .. 100 1,598 324 1,922 100 2,022 Ponsonby .. .. 1,200 .. 100 1,194 278 1,472 96 1,568 Onehunga . . . . 400 .. .. 365 .. 365 35 400 Devonport .. .. 500 .. 496 .. 496 30 526 Takapuna . . .. 400 .. .. 281 . . 281 13 294 Christchurch Exchange Area —• Hereford Street* .. 1,500 .. .. 1,492 .. 1,492 179 1,671 St. Albans* .. .. 500 .. .. 500 .. 500 60 560 Sydenham* .. .. 300 . . .. 299 .. 299 32 331 Wellington Exchange Area —• Courtenay Place .. .. 3,800 100 100 3,305 306 3,611 847 4,458 Wellington South .. 1,800 100 100 l,845f 460 2,305 149 2,454 Kelburn .. .. 1,200 .. 100 1,060 122 1,182 77 1,259 Khandallah .. .. 200 100 100 22 361 392 8 400 Stout Street .. .. 7,600 .. 100 3,976 213 4,189 3,051 7,240 Single-office exchanges — Blenheim .. .. 700 100 708f 158 866 95 961 Hamilton .. .. 1,600 .. 100 1,520 304 1,824 293 2,117 Hawera .. .. 800 100 722 214 936 155 1,091 Masterton .. . . 1,000 100 .. 996 212 1,208 211 1,419 Oamaru .. .. 700 . . 100 732f 80 812 96 908 Palmerston North .. 2,000 .. 100 1,896 230 2,126 264 2,390 Wanganui .. .. 2,200 100 100 2,208+ 386 2,604 555 3,159 Totals .. .. 38,800 500 1,500 32,452 4,218 36,689 8,675 45,364 * Auxiliary apparatus. t Party lines used for individual stations.

39

F.—l

APPEN DIX.

DESIGNATION OF OFFICES CHANGED.

CABLE BUSINESS. The Dominion's outward International and Australian cable business, excluding Press, for the years 1926-27 and 1925-26 was as follows : — INTERNATIONAL. Number of Value. Messages. £ 1926-27 .. .. 166.047 .. .. .. 182,904 1925-26 .. .. 165,206 .. .. .189,221 Increase 841 = 0-51 per cent. Decrease 6,317 = 3'33 per cent. AUSTRALIAN. Number of Value. Messages. £ 1926-27 .. .. 151,359 .. .. .. 30,027 1925-26 .. .. 149,526 .. .. .. 30,626 Increase 1,833 = 1-22 per cent. Decrease 599 = 1-95 per cent. There was a total increase of 2,674 messages, and a decrease in value of £6,916. Of the total revenue received on forwarded cable messages —viz., £212,931 —£200,319 was paid to other Administrations, and £12,612 was retained by New Zealand. RECEIVED CABLE MESSAGES. The number of cable messages received in New Zealand during the years 1926-27 and 1925-26, exclusive of Press, was as follows : —■ International. Australian. 1926-27 .. .. 142,299 .. .. .. 140,440 1925-26 .. .. 139,680 .. .. .. 140,919 Increase 2,619 = 1-87 percent. Decrease 479 = 0-33 per cent. The total revenue earned by New Zealand on received cable messages during the year 1926-27 was £10,306, as compared with £10,441 for 1925-26.

PoBtal District. Changed from Changed to I Cook Islands .. .. .. ■ • Pukapuka (Cook Islands) . . Danger Island. Auckland . . ... . • ■ • Whangaruru .. .. Whangaruru South. Gisborne .. • ■ ■ • • • Kaiteratahi .. .. Waipaoa. Hamilton . . .. • . • • Waimarino .. .. National Park. Invercargill . . • • • • ■ . Edendale.. .. . . Edendale South. Wanganui .. • • • • • • Ratana .. .. .. Patana Pa. Timaru .. . . . • ■ ■ Raorao .. .. .. Kingsdown. Hamilton .. . . .. .. Atiamuri .. .. Upper Atiamuri. Hamilton .. .. ■ ■ • • Atiamuri Bridge .. . . Atiamuri. Auckland .. .. . . . • Fernielea.. .. .. Coatesville. Blenheim .. . • • • • • Purahi . . .. . . The Muller. Greymouth .. . . • • ■ • State Collieries .. .. Dunollie. Auckland .. . . . • • • Taiaotea .. .. . . Brown's Bay. Nelson .. .. • • ■ • Wakapuaka .. .. Cable Bay. Nelson .. . • • • • • Wakapuaka Suburban . . Wakapuaka. Invercargill .. .. • • ■ ■ Hekeia .. .. .. Longwood. Hamilton .. .. • • ■ • Mahirakau .. .. Tuhua. Auckland .. .. .. • • Maungakohatu .. .. Bryn Avon. Invercargill .. . . • • • • Moturimu .. .. Northope. Dunedin .. .. • • • • North-east Harbour .. Macandrew Bay. Gisborne .. ■ • • • • • Kahukura . . .. Tikitiki.

F.—l

40

RADIO-TELEGRAMS. The radio business transacted by the New Zealand coast stations during the years 1926-27 and 1925-26 was as follows :—

Table No. 1. Table showing the Number and Amount of Money-orders issued and of Money-orders payble in New Zealand since the Year 1863. Issued in the Dominion.

Forwarded. Reoeived. Year. Number of j Amount Number of Amount earned by Total Value. -- earned by Messages. Words, j New Zealand. Messages. Words. New Zealand. £ £ £ 1926-27 .. .. 14,748 173.218 3.024 6,001 24,592 277.805 4,768 1925-26 .. .. 16,270 241,621 3,467 7,064 26,002 280,716 4,669 Increase .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 99 Decrease .. 1,522 68,403 443 1,063 1,410 - 2,911 ..

Where payable. Total. Commission the Dominion. United Kingdom.* Forei S n Countries.! Year. received. ' No. Amount, j No. | Amount. No. Amount. No. Amount. No. Amount. £ £ £ £ £ £ 1863 1,057 2,201 9,614 4,74° 21,944 4,645 24,145 .. .. 11,586 55,7°3 1873 3>562 34,288 142,642 11,913 48,548 6,150 28,068 .. .. 52,351 219,258 1883 9,023 132,232 4 0 2,559 26,211 91,634 14,113 4 6 ,94 0 •• •• 172,556 54 I , I 33 1893 10,249 146,133 576,359 29,616 86,545 35,208 88,025 •• •• 210,957 750,929 1903 15,882 273,535 1,108,067 63,309 157,790 59,468 150,368 .. .. 396,312 1,416,225 1913 16,872 516,536 2,821,624 100,634 336,992 73,575 199,158 •• 690,745 3,357,774 1914 16,336 536,674 2,933,911 87,774 299,155 67,070 194,439 •• •• 691,518 3,427,505 1915 T 5,8i9 5 ii >487 2,986,021 81,483 263,371 71,890 222,426 .. .. 664,860 3,471,818 1916 15,966 520,476 3,108,197 60,876 214,254 70,817 221,700 17,186 62,936 669,355 3,607,087 1917 16,077 508,209 2,977,997 54,852 216,835 63,662 212,144 15,960 69,669 642,683 3,476,645 1918 17,487 508,813 3,120,183 48,133 198,452 61,899 217,512 19,655 '13,224 638,500 3,649,37! 1919 19,329 558,344 3,994>°55 48,592 224,667 58,974 240,437 24,381 144,900 690,291 4,604,059 1920 S 1^02 572,432 4> 6 9 i >7 i 7 49, i8 4 235,295 66,027 310,409 12,031 39,355 699,674 5,276,776 1921 31,268 535,897 4,276,158 52,021 254,342 67,893 292,036 13,572 28,284 669,383 4,850,820 1922 27,431 526,906 3,776,896 53,079 221,447 64,523 249,454 15,435 30,732 659,943 4,278,529 1923 28,357 545,605 3,849,423 54,461 223,143 68,044 284,778 16,869 32,815 684,979 4,390,159 1924 28,542 580,569 4,113,813 57,175 232,436 75,743 312,624 18,024 34,056 73I,5H 4,692,929 1925 28,843 610,972 4,406,461 64,777 259,439 72,519 278,050 18,421 33,280 766,689 4,977,230 1926 24,746 635,078 4,453,878 67,570 273,758 70,774 270,065 19,688 I 35,426 1 793, 110 5,033,127 Drawn on the Dominion. Where issued. — —— • — —— Total. Year. In the Dominion. United Kingdom.* AustraMaa^doUlej- Bmish Foreign Countries.+ No. I Amount. No. Amount. No. Amount. No. Amount, No. Amount^ £ £ £ £ £ 1863 2,067 9,169 415 1,824 558 3,078 •• •• 3,040 14,071 1873 34,288 142,642 1,482 6,626 1,668 7,689 .. .. 37,438 156,957 1883 132,232 402,559 3,725 15,553 5,697 23,300 .. .. 141,654 441,4" 1893 146,133 576,359 8,746 32,617 10,679 4°,929 •• •• 165,558 649,905 1903 273,535 1,108,067 13,035 49,I8I 17,777 68,340 .. .. 304,347 1,225,589 1913 516,536 2,821,624 12,693 70,084 31,450 110,487 .. .. 560,679 3,002,194 1914 536,674 2,933,911 11,439 60,324 30,974 110,032 .. .. 579,087 3,104,268 1915 511,487 2,986,021 12,409 58,189 30,356 107,510 .. .. 554,252 3,151,720 1916 520,476 3,108,197 8,337 39,908 35,800 128,370 2,445 10,587 567,058 3,287,162 1917 508,209 2,977,997 6,872 34,973 36,978 123,390 2,311 10,348 554.37° , 3,146,708 1918 508,813 3,120,183 6,802 40,365 33,868 114,652 2,281 12,055 551,764 1 3,287,255 1919 558,344 3,994>°55 8,498 65,526 25,697 104,093 2,410 12,353 594,949 4,176,027 1920 572,432 4,691,717 8,806 67,552 22,946 111,325 1,416 4,420 605,600 4,875,014 1921 535,897 4,276,158 8,696 65,818 24,197 122,938 1,366 6,104 570,156 4,471,018 1922 526,906 3,776,856 8,788 65,516 25,095 121,331 1,587 6,124 562,376 3,969,867 1923 545,605 3,849,423 11,042 63,313 26,042 123,703 1,813 8,669 584,502 4,045,108 1924 580,569 4,113,813 8,310 60,862 28,543 127,350 2,348 10,309 619,770 4,312,334 1925 610,972 4,406,461 9,857 69,098 27,318 119,073 2,140 8,391 650,287 4,603,023 1926 635,078 4,453,878 10,047 70,948 28,935 124,952 2,334 10,326 676,394 4,660,104 * Includes foreign offices to year 1915. t In previous years included in United Kingdom and foreign offices.

6—F. 1

F.—l.

Table No. 2. Table showing the Number and Value of Postal Notes sold from 1st January, 1886—the Date upon which the Notes were first issued—to 31st March, 1927.

41

Number of Postal Notes sold. Total. Year. ; —— — j — j ' At Is. At Is. 6d. At 2s. At 2s. 6d. At 3s. At 5s. At 7s. 6d. At 10s. At 12s. 6d. At 15s. At 17s. 6d. At £1. At £5.* Number. Value. I j £ Quarter ended Ma r. 31, 1886 3,019 2,046 .. 1,012 .. 2,039 909 2,379 695 ! 992 425 2,866 .. 16,442 6,910 1886-87 .. .. 16,605 12,283 .. 6,647 .. 11,566 5,729 13,103 4,090 5,187 2,375 14,961 .. 92,546 37,659 1S87-88 .. .. 22,467 17,167 .. 9,162 .. 15,553 7,671 17,487 5,278 6,940 17,578 .. 122,255 47,729 1888-89 .. .. 27,428 21,900 .. 11,912 .. 19,741 9,477 21,149 6,618 8,243 3,633 19,778 .. 149,879 56,842 1889-90 .. .. 32,754 25,387 .. 14,478 .. 23,550 10,894 24,011 7,809 9,386 4,158 22,596 .. 175,023 65,484 1890-91 .. .. 35,915 28,559 .. 16,092 .. 25,204 12,229 25.906 7,969 10,172 4,366 23,503 .. 189,915 69,722 1891-92 .. .. 42,416 33,722 .. 19,383 .. 29,550 14,019 30,132 9,058 11,611 4,953 25,839 .. 220,683 79,326 1892-93 .. .. 48,612 38,849 .. 22,038 .. 33,012 16,072 32,747 9,904 12,330 5,369 28,969 .. 247,902 87,857 1893-94 .. .. 56,761 44,706 .. 25,461 .. 37,771 18,096 37,687 11,016 13,800 6,156 33,935 .. 285,389 101,002 1894-95 .. .. 62,306 49,846 .. 28,975 .. 43,829 20,423 43,167 11,864 15,567 6,790 36,601 .. 319,368 112,308 1895-96 .. .. 68,454 56,185 .. 32,801 .. 49,204 22,802 47,787 13,601 17,191 7,020 33,390 1,192 349,627 123,368 1896-97 .. .. 74,534 62,056 .. 35,322 .. 54,219 24,871 51,963 14,365 18,102 7,406 32,868 1,090 376,796 129,012 1897-98 .. .. 81,958 69,981 .. 38,617 .. 60,843 26,968 55,748 15,463 19,477 7,904 32,179 728 409,866 134,378 1898-99 .. .. 86,529 72,710 .. 41,991 .. 64,386 28,448 59,631 16,202 19,990 8,193 32,696 | 673 431,449 139,957 1899-1900 .. .. 93,762 77,431 .. 44,384 .. 70,416 30,680 63,787 16,957 21,393 8,539 33,491 | 607 461,447 147,686 1900-1901 .. .. 85,478 68,068 13,834 52,691 14,702 80,630 24,497 71,001 13,304 23,875 6,799 35,067 560 490,506 154,436 1901-1902 .. .. 49,529 30,255 62,285 70,683 65,467 109,663 .. 92,708 .. 32,128 .. 43,042 556 556,316 173,317 1902-1903 .. .. 54,268 33,409 70,122 76,613 75,700 119,593 .. 102,641 .. 34,508 .. 48,852 558 616,264 191,905 1903-1904 .. .. 61,379 37,514 85,909 86,626 89,276 134.270 .. 114,755 .. 38,030 .. 58,629 656 707,044 220,070 1904-1905 .. .. 65,484 40,263 86,711 96,228 99,739 154,281 .. 130,430 .. 42,317 .. 69,206 688 785,347 250,123 1905-1906 .. .. 74,389 45.358 98,503 108,493 114,411 167,430 .. 143,216 .. 46,228 .. 76,508 788 875,324 276,279 1906-1907 .. .. 82,'417 54,375 106,311 120,321 128,384 187,083 .. 159,045 .. 51,559 .. 91,193 954 981,642 314,053 1907-1908 .. .. 89,906 58,202 124,052 136,392 143,854 205,500 .. 171,951 .. 57,637 .. 104,714 423 1,092,631 347,300 1908-1909 .. .. 97,285 59,484 153,925 162.588 146,148 227,471 .. 188,677 .. 62,916 .. 123,786 .. 1,222,280 389,143 1909-1910 .. .. 113,825 67,406 181.791 195,168 166,486 261,045 .. 214,453 .. 70,967 .. 143,611 .. 1,414,752 447,619 1910-1911 .. .. 130,645 79,792 211,298 244,941 201,569 301.707 .. 242,854 .. 82,253 .. 171,900 .. 1,666,959 524,943 1911-1912 .. .. 141,504 85,130 236,665 263,829 215,984 337,338 .. 261,600 .. 88,693 .. 190,823 .. 1,821,566 574,980 1912-1913 .. .. 154,201 92,342 264,844 279,311 220,109 367,942 .. 283,206 .. 95,535 .. 213,153 .. 1,970,643 636,473 1913-1914 .. .. 172,400 103,753 298,669 324,417 256,231 418,712 .. 312,870 .. 106,560 .. 245,230 .. 2,238,842 721,743 1911-1915 .. .. 182,733 107,483 307,934 346,011 263,522 444,427 .. 325,071 .. 107,506 .. 229,640 .. 2,314,327 725,118 1915-1916 .. .. 186,873 114,570 319,115 364,086 267,383 461,137 .. 334,277 .. 111,095 .. 211,543 .. 2,370,079 723,314 1916-1917 .. .. 184,873 112,639 322,946 343,031 260,956 440,215 .. 301,825 .. 108,978 .. 211,000 .. 2,286,463 695,819 1917-1918 .. .. 187,005 115,867 316,266 337,418 258,421 401,696 .. 252,396 .. 103,348 .. 194,180 .. 2,166,597 638,246 1918-1919 .. .. 181,824 114,553 299,791 326,398 253,728 381,202 .. 238.337 .. 102.467 .. 192,751 .. 2,091,051 619,605 1919-1920 .. .. 196,327 121,037 310,105 339,341 268,032 396,994 .. 246,688 .. 110,819 .. 208,177 .. 2,197,520 655,910 1920-1921 .. .. 217,553 120,888 309,649 342,040 266,119 410,584 .. 254,868 .. 123,917 .. 234,601 .. 2,280,219 705,027 1921-1922 .. .. 239,187 120,780 314,035 352,681 259,372 445,995 .. 269,863 .. 137.192 .. 238,517 .. 2,377,622 739,783 1922-1923 .. .. 262.172 130,275 331,376 348,779 236,877 475,947 .. 276,650 .. 138,621 .. 233,809 .. 2,434,506 747,025 1923-1924 .. .. 285,065 145,277 366,241 385,307 247,915 528,178 .. 299,987 .. 151,288 .. 243,519 .. 2,652,777 804,343 1924-1925 .. .. 297,019 154,406 397,666 428,707 253,311 577,873 .. 316,947 .. 162,281 .. 258,123 .. 2,846,333 860,029 1925-1926 .. .. 318,454 159,549 448,307 458,634 254,038 607,000 .. 339,864 .. 170,376 .. 284,500 .. 3,040,722 922,873 1926-1927 .. .. 394,853 I 165,278 482,600 545,182 260,844 650,226 .. 340,646 .. 181,164 .. ! 308,845 .. i 3,329,638 987,687

42

F.— 1

Table No. 3. Table showing the Number and Amount of Transactions at Money-order Offices during the Year 1926, and Savings-bank Offices of New Zealand during the Year 1926-27.

Money-orders. Savings-banks. Postal District. Issued. ! Paid. Number Deposits. j Number Withdrawals. of New ; of : . Accounts | Accounts Number. I Commission. Amount. Number. j Amount. opened. Number. ! Amount. i closed. Number. Amount. _ . £ s. d. £ s. d. j i £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Auckland .. .. .. .. 141,619 4,655 14 2 818,648 5 2 ! 179,679 : 1,145,940 3 0 18,218 266,075 5,459,959 5 11 13,802 239,895 5,488,781 4 1 Blenheim .. .. .. .. 9,401 279 2 9 53,754 17 4 4,702 ; 34,600 5 9 1,106 15,645 294,820 18 8 824 13,295 321,942 0 5 Christchureh .. .. .. 71,730 j 2,367 14 0 456,152 7 0 73,126 596,494 15 11 11,244 229,023 4,570,001 8 7 7,800 197,183 4,613,610 8 0 Dunedin .. .. .. .. 65,338 2,036 10 0 376,727 3 10 67,187 450,537 18 5 6,233 119,140 2,293,983 18 10 5,838 97,603 2,466,279 3 7 Gisborne .. .. .. .. 20,248 648 11 6 131,977 8 7 9,852 81,750 1 3 2,334 33,848 622,133 8 10 1,789 28,163 661,264 18 11 Greymouth.. .. .. .. 22,152 678 3 3 124,574 15 10 10,699 68,962 9 2 1,342 16,670 345,379 0 6 1,093 11,565 375,490 12 3 Hamilton .. .. .. .. 76,490 2,201 18 3 471,527 16 6 39,677 249,671 9 10 7,653 81,613 1,397,821 0 4 4,930 57,222 1,381,079 16 1 Invercargill .. .. .. 33,851 991 19 6 191,275 15 1 22,748 143,794 4 4 2,685 36,630 755,099 3 5 2,364 30,952 854,381 15 1 Napier .. .. .. .. 35,503 1,111 10 6 231,592 17 2 24,464 199,853 19 9 4,887 66,451 1,421,243 10 4 4,118 57,091 1,511,741 14 5 Nelson .. .. .. .. 16,561 517 5 6 100,201 17 0 12,375 85,393 13 11 1,449 24,896 454,880 5 2 1,232 20,326 476,679 12 8 New Plymouth .. .. .. 34,031 1,006 11 9 207,326 17 5 21,333 157,787 14 6 3,964 54,770 1,223,139 19 8 3,103 42,526 1,270,552 4 0 Oamaru .. .. .. .. 10,075 274 10 6 96,759 19 3 4,919 30,084 4 0 1,027 14,793 353,305 14 6 724 13,009 395,100 3 7 Palmerston North .. .. .. 44,056 1,185 5 9 303,476 6 3 28,783 195,166 16 7 6,232 75,275 1,560,725 12 8 3,473 59,905 1,534,631 2 4 - Thames .. .. .. .. 30,226 907 10 6 187,530 10 4 13,309 j 89,327 18 5 3,682 33,641 564,843 4 0 2,181 19,032 604,963 2 2 Timaru .. .. .. .. 20,996 583 6 9 217,222 12 8 10,860 73,797 10 0 2,462 37,294 909,435 7 4 1,816 31,867 927,869 2 5 Wanganui .. .. .. .. 41,379 1,120 15 9 256,905 13 11 22,429 149,329 16 9 4,272 65,460 1,175,801 17 10 3,330 54,195 1,228,668 18 0 Wellington .. .. .. 101,793 3,544 11 0 688,113 7 1 125,678 ' 868,853 0 1 17,441 325,755 5,845,818 14 7 12,921 243,089 5,830,618 18 9 - - ' . I Westport .. .. .. .. 14,129 425 15 6 73,527 15 9 4,771 29,001 2 1 707 9,733 160,766 1 6 487 5,411 156,489 17 9 WesternSamoa .. .. .. 2,331 136 3 0 30,487 10 7 213 1,481 11 11 577 2,208 36,441 111 182 1,247 37,761 3 10 Rarotonga.. .. •• .. 1,201 73 1 6 15,343 10 7 611 14,268 13 0 198 989 10,783 8 0 34 1,188 11,722 18 11 Grand totals .. .. 793,110 24,746 1 5 5,033,127 7 4 677,415 4,666,097 8 8 97,713 1,509,909 29,456,383 2 7 72,041 1,224,764 30,149,628 17 3

43

F.—l

7—F. 1

Table No. 4. POST OFFICE SAVINGS-BANKS.—GENERAL STATEMENT. Table showing the Business of the Post Office Savings-banks in the various Postal Districts in New Zealand during the Year ended 31st March, 1927.

Number Average °££°| c Number Number Average Number Number Nu " lber Total Amount Amount 01 rr„+„i » T Y, < Mir,t „f „ Ji, of Amount Excess of Excess of of of A . t standing to the standingto SlifA Deposits i °! a A SLSirit with - Total Amount of of en eh Deposits over Withdrawals Interest Accounts Accounts Credit of all the Credit Postal Districts. ® f received illEL,, drawals Withdrawals Withdrawal Withdrawals over Deposits for the opened closed , n Open Accounts, of each Open at dnring received during received dumig during tJi0 P(jriod durmg during duri^ g Period. during during inclusive of Open Ac- , the the Period. the the the Period. the Period. the the f , ' Interest to the count at Period. Period. Period. Period. Period. pi] Close of the Period. Close of p< £}° a> Period. Period. the Period. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. ( £ s. d. £ s. d. Auckland.. .. 185 266,075 5,459,959 5 11 20 10 5 239,895 5,488,781 4 1 22 17 7! .. 28,821 18 2 285,816 17 1 18,218 13,802 137,514 8,021,885 13 6 58 6 9 I Blenheim.. .. 15 15,645 294,820 18 8 18 16 11 13,295 321,942 0 5 24 4 4 .. 27,121 1 9 23,224 6 4 1,106 824 10,394 632,120 12 5 60 16 4 Christchureh .. 73 229,023 4,570,001 8 7 19 19 1 197,183 4,613,610 8 0 23 8 0 .. 43,608 19 5 281,103 3 11 11,244 7,800 116,363 7,820,623 10 4; 67 4 2 j Dunedin .. .. 74 119,140 2,293,983 18 10 19 5 1 97,603 2,466,279 3 7 25 5 5 .. 172,295 4 9 175,456 8 3 6,233 5,838 72,297 4,738,960 10 3; 65 11 0 Gisborne .. .. 28 33,848 622,133 8 10 18 7 7 28,163 661,264 18 11 23 9 7 .. 39,131 10 1 40,182 4 9 2,334 1,789 19,865 1,103,928 13 3 55 11 5 Greymouth .. 24 16,670 345,379 0 6 20 14 5 11,565 375,490 12 3 32 9 5 .. 30,111 11 9 ! 30,355 11 9 1,342 1,093 13,049 811,553 16 2 62 3 11 Hamilton.. .. 85 81,613 1,397,821 0 4 17 2 7 57,222 1,381,079 16 1 24 2 9 16,741 4 3 .. 81,647 8 2 7,653 4,930 36,466 2,309,016 1 0 63 6 5 Invercargill .. 37 36,630 755,099 3 5 20 12 4 30,952 854,381 15 1 27 12 1 .. 99,282 11 8 68,411 2 1 2,685 2,364 29,080 1,836,335 1 10 63 2 11 Napier .. .. 38 66,451 1,421,243 10 4 21 7 9 57,091 1,511,741 14 5 26 9 7 .. 90,498 4 1 82,251 17 11 4,887 4,118 37,572 2,258,861 14 4 60 2 5 Nelson .. .. 31 24,896 454,880 5 2 18 5 5 20,326 476,679 12 8 23 9 0 .. 21,799 7 6 34,656 3 3 1,449 1,232 16,435 948,743 14 3 57 14 7 New Plymouth .. 40 54,770 1,223,139 19 8 22 6 8 42,526 1,270,552 4 0 29 17 7 .. 47,412 4 4 69,936 7 3 3,964 3,103 29,562 1,940,023 11 5 65 12 6 Oamaru .. .. 11 14,793 353,305 14 6 23 17 8 13,009 395,100 3 7 30 7 5 .. 41,794 9 1 25,364 9 10 1,027 724 9,334 677,992 5 1 72 12 9 ♦Palmerston North.. 43 75,275 1,560,725 12 8 20 14 8 59,905 1,534,631 2 4 25 12 5 26,094 10 4 .. 84,630 16 9 6,232 3,473 29,624 2,374,669 0 7 80 3 3 Thames .. .. 41 33,641 564,843 4 0 16 15 10 19,032 ! 604,963 2 2 31 15 9 .. 40,119 18 2 39,970 10 4 3,682 2,181 22,241 1,096,289 16 2 49 5 10 Timaru .. .. 18 37,294 909,435 7 4 24 7 9 31,867 927,869 2 5 29 2 4 .. 18,433 15 1 60,207 19 11 2,462 1,816 22,480 1,650,975 14 11 73 8 10 Wanganui .. 45 65,460 1,175,801 17 10 17 19 3 54,195 1,228,668 18 0 22 13 5 .. 52,867 0 2 71,340 1 3 4,272 3,330 35,324 1,981,717 7 10 56 2 0 Wellington .. 59 325,755 5,845,818 14 7 17 18 11 243,089 5,830,618 18 9 23 19 9 15,199 15 10 .. 297,495 1 0 17,441 12,921 138,055 8,353,653 3 9 60 10 3 West-port .. .. 19 9,733 160,766 1 6 16 10 5 5,411 156,489 17 9 28 18 5 4,276 3 9 .. 12,930 6 11 707 487 6,140 362,813 9 5 59 1 10 Western Samoa .. 3 2,208 36,441 111 16 10 1 1,247 37,761 3 10 30 5 8 .. 1,320 111 1,679 2 1 577 182 1,370 44,970 18 4 32 16 6 Rarotonga .. 6 989 10,783 8 0 10 18 1 1,188 11,722 18 11 9 17 5 .. 939 10 11 766 3 10 198 34 662 20,367 3 7 30 15 4 Totals for year ended 875 1,509,909 29,456,383 2 7 19 10 21,224,76430,149,628 17 3 24 12 4 .. 693,245 14 81,767,426 2 8 97,713 72,04i 783,827 48,985,501 18 5 62 9 11 31st March, 1927 |___ ' _

F.—l

44

Table No. 5. POST OFFICE SAVINGS-BANKS.—GENERAL STATEMENT. Table showing the Business of the Post Office Savings-banks in New Zealand, by Ten-yeae Periods, from the Date they were established in February, 1867, to the 31st December, 1918, and Yearly Periods thereafter to the Year ended 31st March, 1927.

! Average * Number Number u "^ er Total Amount Amount Savmos N Depos[ ° f Total Amount ofmth- Total Amount of Amoun ' of Excess of Excess of Accounts Accounts Aocou ? ts ° "the Credit O* t T eiVed » drawals ««s $&§£££ — '"en °b?et 0P t e he at the Year. Year. d Year ' during the Year, during tife Year. « at Cose Account at Close of Yelr. the Year. Year Year ottne c i ose of ,he Year. Close of the Year the *ear. £ s. d. £ s. d. I £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d £ s. d. £ a. d. v - s. d Year ended 31st Mar., 875 1,509,909 29,456,383 2 7 19 10 21,224,764 30,149,628 17 3 24 12 4 .. 693,245 14 81,767,426 2 8 97,713 72,041 783,827 48,985,501 18 5 62 9 11 1927 Year ended 31st Mar., 870 1,446,530 31,833,621 9 5 22 0 11,197,985 32,602,505 17 2 27 4 3 .. 768,884 7 91,731,577 17 2104,447 81,440 758,15547,911,321 10 5 63 3 11 1926 Year ended 31st Mar., 855 1,371,009 29,582,897 2 9 21 11 7 1,108,29130,413,609 3 11 27 8 10 .. 830,712 1 2 1,680,919 10 10 95,595 70,604 735,14846,948,628 1 0 63 17 3 1925 Year ended 31st Mar., 846 1,261,141 29,598,372 4 8 23 9 4 1,075,037 29,510,320 19 6 27 9 0 88,051 5 2 .. 1,649,978 4 8 92,465 73,098 710,157 16,098,420 11 4 64 18 3 1924 Year ended 31st Mar., 840 1,175,104 26,082.426 11 4 22 14 2 1,081,300 27,769,262 16 3 25 13 8 .. 1,086,836 4 111,605,525 1 10 78,490 66,630 690,790 14,360,393 1 6 64 4 4 1923 Year ended 31st Mar., 831 1.227,591 29,125,997 10 0 23 14 6 1,119,662 30.236,231 6 5 27 0 0 .. 1,110,233 16 5 1,599,907 2 0 89,859 75,748 678,930 43,841,704 4 7 64 11 6 1922 ♦Fifteen months ended S19 1,664, 20B 44,302, 852 5 4 26 12 5 1,458,008 41,162,486 9 10 28 4 8 3,140,365 15 6 .. 1,818,534 5 2 152,930118,894 064,819 43,352,030 19 0 65 4 2 31st March 1921 Totals for 1919 .. 794 1,289,161 29,758,448 9 7 23 1 8 994,247 25,962,378 2 6 26 2 3 3,796,070 7 1 .. 1,178,935 6 6 118,109 77,531 630,783 38,393,130 18 4 60 17 4 1918 .. 786 1,213,353 18,101,104 18 1 14 18 4 727,729 14,938,841 10 0 20 10 7 3,102,203 8 1 .. 1,059,471 17 8 76,869 53,015 590,205 33,418,125 4 9 56 12 5 1908 .. 593 706,101 9,674,075 4 0 13 14 0 484,672 9,417,820 10 3 19 8 8 256,254 13 9 .. 379,808 6 7 80,133 57,829 342,077 12,159,293 18 1 35 10 11 1898 .. 409 281,749 3,279,611 7 5 11 12 10 196,764 3,194,893 16 7 16 4 9 84,717 10 10 .. 128,128 16 6 37,265 26,628 169,968 4,957,771 5 5 29 3 5 1888 .. 290 145,355 1,544,747 7 11 10 12 0 96,204 1,387,471 1 10 14 8 5 157,276 6 1 .. 78,080 6 0 21,307 16,543 84,488 2,048,441 10 9 24 4 10 1878 .. 147 69,908 762,084 12 0 10 18 0 42,746 742,053 14 3 17 7 2 20,030 17 9 .. 31,664 12 9 13,005 9,634 32,132 819,071 8 2 25 9 9 1868 .. 55 13,014 194,535 11 6 14 18 11 6,305 107,094 17 3 10 10 6 87,440 14 3 .. 4,880 7 3 3,282 1,186 4,252 163,518 15 7 38 9 1 Totals from 1st Feb. to 46 6,977 96,372 7 10 13 16 3 1,919 26,415 18 9 13 15 3 69.956 9 1 .. 1,241 5 0 2,520 364 2,156 71,197 14 1 33 0 5 31st Dec., 1867 * Termination of Savings-bank year altered from 31st December to 31st March, with effect from 31st March, 1921.

F.—l

45

Table No. 6. Post Office Savings-bank. Receipts and Payments for the Twelve Months ended 31st March, 1927. Dr. £ s. d. Cr. £ s. d. Balance at credit of depositors on Ist Withdrawals, Ist April, 1926, to 31st April, 1926 .. .. .. 47,911,321 10 5 March, 1927 .. .. .. 30,149,628 17 3 Deposits, Ist April, 1926, to 31st Balance at credit of depositors, 31st March, 1927 .. .. .. 29,456,383 2 7 March, 1927 .. .. .. 48,985,501 18 5 Interest credited to depositors, Ist April, 1926, to 31st March, 1927 .. 1,767,426 2 8 £79,135,130 15 8 £79,135,130 15 8 Reserve Fund Account. Dr. £ s. d. Cr. £ s. d. Balance at credit on Ist April, 1926 .. 1,000,000 0 0 Amount at credit of Reserve Fund Account on 31st March, 1927 .. 1,000,000 0 0 £1,000,000 0 0 £1,000,000 0 0 Liabilities and Assets. Dr. £ s. d. Cr. £ s. d. Balance at credit of Post Office Savings- Securities (Post Office Savings-bank) 49,334,791 16 9 bankdepositorson3lstMarch, 1927 48,985,501 18 5 Balance uninvested .. .. 776,564 13 10 Balance on transfer .. .. 21,417 6 7 Balance at credit of Reserve Fund Account .. .. .. 1,000,000 0 0 Balance of assets over liabilities .. 104,437 5 7 £50,111,356 10 7 £50,111,356 10 7 Profit and Loss Account. Dr. £ s. d. Cr. £ e. d. Interest credited to depositors during Balance forward .. .. .. 190,282 10 2 the year ended 31st March, 1927.. 1,767,426 2 8 Interest received dur- £ s. d. Savings-bank profits carried to Postal ing the year .. 1,954,536 15 0 Revenue .. .. .. 190,000 0 0 Accrued interest, 31st Paid Public Account for cost of Sav- March, 1927 .. 567,696 10 6 ings-bank management .. .. 95,000 0 0 Balance forward to next account .. 104,437 5 7 2,522,233 5 6 Less accrued interest on 31st March, 1926 561,475 11 5 1,960,757 14 1 Sundry receipts .. .. .. 5,823 4 0 £2,156,863 8 3 £2,156,863 8 3

F—l

46

Table No 7 Table showing the Estimated Number of Letters and Letter-cards, Post-cards, Book-packets, Newspapers, and Parcels posted and delivered in the several Postal Districts of New Zealand during the Year ended the 31st December, 1926.

Posted in the Dominion. Delivered in the Dominion. Total posted and delivered. Postal District p— j ; Post - cards - Books - &0 ' Newspapers. Parcels. Books, &c. ; Newspapers. Parcels.' Letter-cards. Fost-cards. Books, &c. Parcels. i I I I I I | j 1 I III Auckland .. 36,110,763 1,124, 903| 17,426,674 5,548,619; 969,033 31,606,758 799,164 13,305,736 4,319,192 630,515 67,717,521 1,924,06730,732,410 9,867,811 1,599,548 Blenheim .. 1,925,819. 21,957 446,436' 256,152 20,735: 1,801,813 41,522 574.613 449,683 65,832 3,727,632: 63,479 1,021,049 705,835 86,567 Christchurch .. 17,227,208; 862,368 8,708,889; 1,924,178 426,738 19,622,049 988,139 7,828,933 2,377.466' 334,874 36,849,257 1,850,50716,537,822 4,301,644 761,612 Dunedin .. 13,848,152] 516,152 5,979,22lj 1,854, 186 329,069 12,339,268! 449,859 5,825,898' 2,015,507' 349,973 26,187,420' 966,01111,805,119 3,869,693' 679,042 Gisborne .. 3,009,001 48,685 747, 271 1 613,034: 45,929 3,347,435: 59,852 1,405,703: 1,229,566 124,163 6,356,436| 108,537 2,152,974 1,842,600 170,092 Greymouth .. 1,759,647 45,760 468,399 276,822 39,091 2,009,982 54,639 564,369' 499,161' 86,424 3,769,629, 100,399 1,032,768 775,983 125,515 Hamilton .. 9,210,832| 218,231 2,259,589! 984,989 109,252' 9,352,057' 301,366 3,624,595 : 1,796,145 321,542 18,562,889! 519,597 5,884,184 2,781,134 430,794 Invercargill .. 7,033,092] 185,926 2,682,116, 778,348 95,030 6,914,960 198,328 2,635,815 1,089,725 164.073 13,948,052 384,254 5,317,931 1,868,073 259,103 Napier .. 6,601,772 122,941 2,542,903 ! 792,525 85,982 7,337,863' 149,344 3,181,321 1,427,621' 182,260 13,939,635, 272,285 5,724,224 2,220,146 268,242 Nelson .. . 2,314,457 88,712 680,920 223,819 43,901 2,538,237 57,265 1,025,557 551,161 : 111,761 4,852,694, 145,977 1,706,477 774,980 155,662 New Plymouth | 4,693,527 98,397 1,868,567 666,422 ! ' 69,381 5,122,572 130,988 2,168,712' 902,642' 173,225 9,816,099 229,385 4,037,279 1,569,064 242,606 Oamaru .. ! 1,465,581 44,902 469, 86o' 137,384; 17,342: 1,577,485: 113,399 783,978| 291,265] 44,629 3,043,066 j 158,301 1,253,844 428,649 61,971 Palmerston N. 6,160,776 109,083 2,574,202 689,426; 97,591 7,546,188 272,077 3,854,383 ! 1,298,518' 210,288 13,706,964' 381,160 6,428,585 1,987,944 307,879 Thames .. 2,972,618 51,376 930,248 ! 294, 37l! 41,145 3,448,588 110,890 1,547,104 ! 593,190 132,223 6,421,206] 162,266! 2,477,352] 887,561 173,368 Timaru .. 3,239,979 86,606 1,081,294 336,057 44,642 3,582,657 174.239 1,448,356 553,995 94,796 6,822,636 260,845 2,529,650 890,052 139,438 Wanganui .. 5,943,181 147,420 2,092,698 1,050,245 ; 95,77l' 5,437,913 164,645 2,329,210 994,227 199,225 11,381,094 312,065 4,421,908 : 2,044,472 294,996 Wellington .. 24,305,514 395,197 13,429,676' 4,586,653 891,344 25,047,578! 456,526 9,623,664 3,487,031! 417,397 49,353.092 851,723 23,053,340] 8,073,6841,308,741 Westport .. 765,241 10,816 119,108] 129,792 13,663 l,105,09l' 34,528 273,429 282,165 49,374 1,870,332 45,344' 392,537] 411,957 63,037 Rarotonga .. 58,113 1,551 3,141: 587 1,419! 43,764 s 396 5,088 15,965 2,646 101,877 1,947 8,229' 16,552! 4,065 Western Samoa 90,492 1,620 1,530 6,888 480 99,066 402 4.332 39,552! 3,180 189,558 2,022 5,862 46,440 3,660 1 ! I I ! 1 Totals .. 148,735,765 4,182,603 64,512,748 21,150,497 3,437,538149,881,324 4,557,568 62,010,796 24,213,777 3,698,400 298,617,089 8,740,171 126,523, 544'45, 364,2747, 135, 938 : ; I : I : Previous year.. 146,470,749 4,430,047 59,717,229 20,812,404 3,456,571 148,160, Olll 4,677,034 56,229,653 23,905,002 3,645,057 294,630,760 9,107,081 115,946, 88244, 717, 406 7,101,628 1 j I 1 ■ i 1 1 i I J

f.—i.

Table No. 8. Registered Articles. The number of registered articles dealt with in 1926, compared with the number in 1890, 1900, 1910, and 1925, was as follows :— 1890. 1900. 1910. 1925. 1926. From places beyond the Dominion 26,374 52,343 132,493 210,931 211,120 Registered in the Dominion ... 169,321 464,036 993,675 2,103,229 2,246,976 Totals ... ... 195,695 516,379 1,126,168 2,314,160 2,458,096 Table No. 9. Parcel-post. The following shows the number and weight of parcels posted during the years 1890, 1900, 1910, 1925, and 1926

The following table shows the number and weight of parcels exchanged with other countries during the years 1925 and 1926 : —

47

— 1890. | 1900. ! 1910. | 1926. 1926. Number .. 121,292 199,413 1,190,711 3,456,571 3,437,538 Weight .. : 336,6431b. 12 oz. 682,1041b. 7 oz. 3,953,2841b. 15 oz. 17,396,310 lb. 17,300,3891b.

Received. Despatched. Places. 1925. 1920. 1925. 1926. Number.! Weight. Number. Weight. Number. J Weight. Number, j Weight. lb. lb. lb. lb. Great Britain and Ireland and 179,973 1,313,782 183,838 1,527,721 21,353 82,877 27,529 96,933 foreign countries via London United States of America and Possessions .. .. 62,656 408,086 69,838 459,279 5,024 20,342 4,704 20,050 Canada .. .. .. 11,350 77,440 10,324 67,623 1,606 5,891 1,797 5,958 Victoria .. .. .. 17,305 73,650 16,744 73,822 4,704 15,785 5,365 16,740 New South Wales .. .. 28,163 108,729 28,427 107,702 9,038 30,396 10,674 34,057 South Australia .. .. 916 2,671 911 2,567 721 2,344 811 2,433 Queensland .. .. 1,107 3,193 1,105 2,914 1,164 3,718 1,368 4,189 Tasmania .. .. 409 844 400 1,009 693 1,963 755 1,937 Western Australia.. .. 530 1,335 531 1,342 556 1,809 668 2,064 Fiji .. .. .. 682 1,464 803 1,871 1,702 5,975 2,128 7,629 Ceylon .. .. .. 446 2,458 481 2,536 128 601 133 441 Cape of Good Hope .. 986 3,834 1,277 4,641 T27 605 118 329 Natal .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 393 1,453 482 1,550 India .. .. .. 2,348 14,385 2,731 17,848 845 4,698 1,109 5,997 Tonga .. • • 59 262 65 221 1,403 7,507 1,521 8,145 Tahiti .. .. •• 50 218 48 226 502 3,353 270 1,527 Hong Kong .. .. 1,359 9,685 1,772 12,936 462 2,158 554 2,655 Straits Settlements .. 316 1,134 346 1,018 230 1,030 320 1,342 Solomon Islands .. .. 2 2 .. 9 24 6 19 New Hebrides .. .... .. .. .. 4 15 1 7 Pitcairn Island .. .. 386 838 366 787 156 692 148 711 Norfolk Island .. .. 6 19 33 128 14 40 140 418 Nauru Island .. .. 2 4 2 5.. Fanning Island .. .. .. .. .. .. 72 310 43 189 Arlftn .. .. .. 32 170 245 1,858 Egypt .. .. .. 253 1,607 943 6,175 83 634 66 459 Uruguay .. .. .. •• •• ■. 58 296 85 301 Totals .. .. 309,336 2,025,810 321,230 2,294,229 51,047 194,516 60,795 216,080

F.—l

48

Table No. 10. Comparative Table showing the Development in the Telegraph, Toll, and Telephone-exchange Services during the Ten-year Periods ended 30th June, 1866 and 1876, the 31st December, 1886, the 31st March, 1896, 1906, 1916; and the past Five Years.

Telegraph and Toll. Number of Telegrams and Toll Messages forwarded during the Year. Revenue in respect of Telegraph, Toll, and Telephone-exchange Services. Telegrams. Telegraph. ' Total Year. Number Number Number ; . j • j ; 1 Total j ; Telephone Tele ? ra P h . Mile's of Offices ™ Goveru . Total Letter- Govern- toeot Total E ™. |^ h e ™f TefephZeUne Wire, opened. Ordinary. Urgent. Press. G ° e ° t ' Number of Messages. Ordinary. Urgent, Press. tel J m^ nt Telegraph Telegraph venue - exchange grams. telegrams. grams. ltevenue. j ±tevenue - Kevenue. i — - £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ 30th June, 1866 699 1,390 13 *24,761 .. .. .. 2,476 27,237 .. *5,562 483 .. 6,045 .. .. 6,045 1876 3,154 7,247 142 *890,382 .. .. .. 160,704 1,051,086 .. *62.716 .. .. .. 16,154 .. 78,870 .. .. 78,870 31st Dec., 1886 4,546 11,178 412 *fl,583,717 .. .. .. 252,549 1,836,266 .. *t88,385 .. .. .. 27,281 .. |ll5,666 .. {18,254 133,920 31st Mar., 1896 6,2454 15,764J 743 fl,553, 232 59,038 198.108 .. 224,579 2,034,957 89,254 f73,160 7,510 9,508 .. 25,844 4,889 120,911 2,110 25,934 148,955 1906 8,355" 25,116 1,312 3,995,998 211,571 379,185 .. 289,135 4,875,889 764,330 133,204 12,807 18,095 .. 24,168 3,895 192.169 16,368 89,542 298,079 1916 '13,684 48,052 2,413 6,062,131 299,823 383,155 .. 127,841 6,872,950 3,963,801 223,843 22,770 27,557 .. 9,085 163,488 446,743 111,969 287,547 846,259 1923 11,912 48,616 2,307 5,285,175 228,904 389,607 32,880 170,385 6,106,951 7,406,257 322,372 27,448 52,695 2,554 9,728 13,936 428,733 294,374 595,967 1,319,074 1924 12,954 52,910 2,295 5,581,185 265,772 432,120 106,219 69,597 6,454,893 3.021,973 288,183 27,686 61,661 5,287 4,930 : 11,566 399,313 317,512 830,470 1,547,295 1925 12,938 56,415 2,264 5,827,745 292,885 461,875 215,473 61,560 6,859,538 8,612,412 300,426 30,145 63,601 10,535 4,420 15,190 424,317 344,393 867,218 1,635,928 1926 13.052 59,791 2,221 6,043,563 317,021 488,487 317,484 58,460 7,225,015 8,976,859 310,039 32,385 67,481 14,738 4,992 17,158 446,793 358,037 980,283 1,785,113 1927 13,158 61,732 2,199 5,725,008 279.957 555,638 426,816 55.790 7,043 209 9,329,017 , 291,316 28,658 76,770 19,133 4,607 36,220 456,704 372,612 995,071 1,824,387 * Includes private, Press, and Provincial Government messages. t Includes " delayed" telegrams. { Includes miscellaneous telegraph revenue. Notb. —Inland Telegram Tariff : Prior to the 1st September, 1869, inland telegrams were charged for on a mileage basis. From that date a uniform rate was fixed of 2s. 6d. for ten words and 6d. for each additional five words. From the 1st April, 1870, the minimum charge was reduced to Is. From the 1st November, 1873, the rate was further reduced to Is. for ten words and Id. for eajch additional word, address and signature, hitherto charged for, being free up to ten words. From the 1st July, 1877, there was introduced the " urgent" code, at double the ordinary rate. From the 1st July, 1878, a " delayed " system was introduced, the rate being fixed at 6d. for ten words, exclusive of address and signature up to ten words, and Jd. for each additional word. From the 1st February, 1892, the number of words allowed for the minimum charge in each case was increased to twelve, with free address and signature up to six words. From the 15th August, 1892, the ordinary rate was fixed at Is. for eighteen words, including address and signature. From the 1st June, 1896, the rate was fixed at 6d. for twelve words, including address and signature, and Id. for each additional word; and "delayed" telegrams were abolished. From the 1st November, 1906, the charge for additional words was reduced to Jd. each. From the 23rd September, 1915, the ordinary rate was increased from 6d. to 8d. for twelve words (" urgent " Is. 2d.); and on the 1st August, 1920, it was further increased to Is. for twelve words and Id. for each "additional word; ("urgent" 2s., and 2d. for each additional word); Sundays and holidays, double rates. From the 1st November, 1920, there was introduced a system of letter-telegrams, to be delivered by post on the morning following the day of presentation. The rate (since altered) was Is. 6d. for thirty-six words and |d. for each additional word. From the' 1st February, 1923, the rate for ordinary telegrams was reduced to 9d. for twelve words, the charge for each additional word remaining at Id. ("urgent" Is. 6d., and 2d. for each additional word). From the same date the letter-telegram rate was reduced to 9d. for twenty-seven words and Id. for each additional three words.

49

F— 1

Table No. 11. Table showing the Number forwarded and the Revenue derived from Toll Calls and Paid Telegrams of all Codes and the Value of franked Government Telegrams in the undermentioned Postal. Districts during the Twelve Months ended 31st March, 1927.

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given; printing (1,030 copies, including graphs and illustrations), £130.

Authority: W. A. G. Skinner, Government Printer, Wellington.—l 927.

Price 2s.]

Ee fro n mp"d Ved Value of franked Number of "fifiS," 1 T TetSsof°' Postal District. Telegrams of all Government all Codes Paid ft™ ! and Government all Codfs and Toll CaHg Telegrams. and To „ Ca|l3 Toll Calls. Telegrams. Calls. £ £ £ Auckland .. .. 123,808 512 124,320 2,703,336 5,202 2,708,538 Blenheim .. .. 12,878 147 13.,025 285,632 1,938 287,570 Christchurch .. .. 85,373 518 85,891 1,659,752 6,765 1,666,517 Dunedin .. .. 63,213 251 63,464 1,236,511 3,093 1,239,604 Gisborne .. .. 26,306 38 26,344 468,126 525 468,651 Greyraouth .. .. 16,454 172 16,626 291,214 3,396 294,610 Hamilton .. .. 58,539 40 58,579 1,386,801 216 1,387,017 Invercargill .. .. 35,299 65 35,364 793,702 827 794,529 Napier .. .. .. 45,100 139 45,239 997,277 2,393 999,670 Nelson .. .. .. 15,787 343 16,130 351,116 4,586 355,702 New Plymouth .. .. 35,072 77 35,149 798,913 995 799,908 Oamaru .. .. .. 10,806 38 10,844 179,068 501 179,569 Palmerston North .. 46,109 14 46,123 1,030,297 177 1,030,474 Thames.. .. .. 21,252 33 21,285 512,346 544 512,890 Timaru .. .. .. 25,736 100 25,836 506,839 1,333 508,172 Wanganui .. .. 38,201 84 38,285 746,513 1,071 747,584 Wellington .. .. 122,311 1,913 124,224 2,236,337 20,471 2,256,808 Westport .. .. 6,245 123 6,368 132,656 1,757 134,413 Totals, 1926-27 .. 788,489 4,607 793,096 16,316,436 I 55,790 16,372,226 Totals, 1925-26 .. 782,679 4,992 787,671 16,143,414 58,460 16,201,874

F.—l

Repeater Equipment at Wellington: Operator's Position, showing Switching, Control, Supervisory Apparatus, etc.

INTER-ISLAND TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION.

F.—l

Repeater Equipment, Wellington: Apparatus Racks.

•NOIIYOINI1MKOQ HNOHJaiHI dNVlSrHHXNI

'F.— 1.

INTER-ISLAND TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION.

Test-desk (front view): Associated with Repeater Equipment at Wellington.

F.—l.

INTER-ISLAND TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION.

Test-desk (rear view): Associated with Repeater Equipment at Wellington.

F-l.

Crossley Car used by T.R.H. the Duke and Duchess of York during the greater part of Tour of Dominion.

Fleet of Crossley Cars used in connection with Tour of Dominion by T.R.H. the Duke and Duchess of York.

F.-l.

Marton Post-office. (Building completed 27th April, 1927.)