F.—l

X

The number of miles of line maintained had increased from 3,824 to 3,974. The average cost for maintenance per mile was £5 17s. 5d., against £4 17s. 4d. for the previous year. The number of miles of wire increased from 9,653 to 9,848, which, with 2,820 miles of duplexed, wire, gave 12,668 miles as the available wire accommodation. There has been a substantial extension of the telephone system during the year. Thirty-six additional offices have been opened, and connected by telephone. Generally, the public appear satisfied with the telephone, but there have been isolated complaints against the propriety of intrusting persons in business with the management of telephone offices, and that that secrecy, which is the very essence of the telegraph service, is not always secured at telephone offices. These objections will, no doubt, disappear in time; and precautions are being taken to prevent the " sending " of messages by telephone being read, either by accident or design, by the public, The telephone exchanges at Auckland, Christchuch, and Dunedin have now a total of 417 subscribers, an increase of 228 subscribers during the year. An exchange was opened at Wellington in March last, with 31 subscribers, which increased to 57 by the end of May. The total number of subscribers on that date was 514. The dates on which the several exchanges were establisned, the number of subscribers secured on opening, and the number on the 31st May last are given below :— Auckland ... Oct. 24, 1881, 26 subscribers; on 31st May, 140 subscribers. Wellington ... Mar. 1,1883,31 ~ ~ 57 Christchurch ... Oct. 1,1881,27 ~ ~ 120 „ ■ Dunedin ... Apr. 26,1882,56 „ „ 197 From the Ist January last the subscription after the first year (which is £17 10s.) was reduced to £12 per annum; and the cost of additional connection, after the first year's subscription had been paid, was reduced from £15 to £10 a year. The telephone-exchange receipts for the year ended March last were at the rate of £5,627 14s. 2d.; and at the end of May the receipts were at the rate of £8,464 per annum. The expenditure in connection with establishing the four exchanges up to the 31st May last was £10,852 ss. The annual cost for maintenance and working is estimated at £2,583 14s. A proposal is under consideration for extending the hours of business at the exchanges to 2 a.m.. Bureau stations have been opened at Devonport, Dunedin North, Dunedin South, Lyttelton, Newton, Northcote, Ponsonby, Port Chalmers, Portobello, and Takapuna. 951 telephones have been imported, and 767 are now in use. 22 additional private wires were erected during the year. The department now maintains 71 of these wires, which bring in an annual revenue of £1,081. The works, &c, performed in the several districts vmder the immediate supervision of the Inspectors were as follow : — Auckland Disteict. During the year the following sections received slight overhauls : Auckland to Waikato, Auckland to Thames and Coromandel, Kawakawa to Eussell, and Whangaroa to Mongonui. The following extensions were effected : Paeroa to Te Aroha, Hamilton to Kirikiriroa and Tamahere, Drury to Papakura, Hokianga to Kohukohu, Ohaeawai to Kaikohe, Kawakawa to Taumariri, Dargaville to Mangawhare, Kopuru to Aratapu and Heawa, Pahi to Paparoa, Waipu to Mangawai; a total extension of twenty miles of line. Four private wires were also erected in the city, and the Auckland Lunatic Asylum connected with the police-station. The number of miles of wire maintained during the year was 678. The lines generally throughout the district worked in a most satisfactory manner. Napieb Disteict. Since the last annual report the following overhauls have been made, and resulted in a very much improved insulation throughout: Thames to Wainui, and branch lines to Opotiki, to Castlepoint, and to Kopua. With rare exceptions, the poles were found good, and only in a few instances required renewal. On the Ohinemutu section new wires were fixed to replace those found corroded by the action due to vapours from the thermal springs. As a prevention against river encroachment the line at Opotiki has been shifted; and at Wairoa, Gisborne, the Spit, and Napier slight alterations have been effected to meet street improvements and traffic requirements. A new line has been erected connecting Te Puke with Maketu by telephone. A branch line has been constructed between Gisborne and Ormond, also worked by telephone. On the Napier Eailway telephone communication has been established between Takapau and Makatoka. The Kopua station has been closed, and the business is now performed at Ormondville. Four private telephone lines have been erected between Napier and the Spit, making the total number of wires of this class seven. It is proposed to carry the departmental wires by a separate line of poles between Napier and the Spit to avoid interruptions. The lines throughout the district worked in a most satisfactory manner. Blenheim Disteict. The telephone wire between Collingwood and Motueka has been extended to Upper Moutere, a further distance of twelve miles, where an office was opened in November.