F.—l

XX

Wellington District. Construction. One telegraph office, at Mangaonoho, and twenty-six new telephone offices have been opened— namely, Alfredton, Alton, Adelaide Road (Wellington), Aramoho, Brooklyn, Cardiff, Clareville, Colyton, Hauiti, Island Bay, Kilbirnie, Levin, Makara, Makino, Manukau, Mangamahoe, Mangatainoka, Mangatoki, Nuhaka, Ohau, Ohingaiti, Paikakariki, Paraparaumu, Shannon, Tawataia, and Wanstead. 41-| miles of poles, carrying 61 miles of wire, have been erected. An additional wire has also been run from Wellington to the Hutt Racecourse, and a new wire from Porirua to Porirua Asylum (loop line) the Napier-Woodville wire has been extended toPalmerston North, the Napier railway line to Hastings, and a mile of wire erected in connection with changing Eltham from a telephone to a Morse circuit. The Wanganui, Palmerston North, and Hastings Eacecourses have been connected by Morse instruments (using the constant current) with the main system. 52 miles of poles and 121 miles of wire have been erected in connection with extensions. Maintenance. The Napier Inspector's district having been abolished and divided between the Auckland and Wellington districts, the northern boundary of the Wellington district has been extended to Taupo and the East Cape, The main line, Wellington to Upper Hutt, has been thoroughly overhauled, and a considerable portion reconstructed. Three miles of line near Otaki were altered to prevent the wires being placed in contact by birds. The whole of the lines in the district have been overhauled, and are in fairly good order, with the exception of the section Johnsonville to Paikakariki, which will require attention during the present year The line from Hawera to Opunake will in all probability need a new wire run, as the old one is in rather a bad state. The duplex system has been introduced between Wellington and Palmerston North and Napier and Gisborne. The office at Eltham has been converted from telephone to Morse, and the offices at Takapau, Waipukurau Railway, Waipawa Railway, and Kaikora North also similarly treated (using the constant current system). Masterton, Masterton Railway, and Eketahuna, with alternative telephones, have also been connected by this system, with intermediate telephone stations. The Wanganui instrument room has been entirely refitted. The other offices in the district are in good order. There are now 1,371 miles of poles and 3,944 miles of wire in this district. Telephone Exchanges. The four exchanges—namely, Wellington, Napier, Palmerston North, and Wanganui—are in good working order. Cables. On the 28th of April last the three-core cable parted. Tests made at both ends showed twobreaks —one seventeen knots from Lyell Bay, and the other twelve knots from White's Bay On picking up the Lyell Bay end it was found that there were other breaks between these two points , and it was calculated that about ten knots of new cable would be required to make good the repair. When this cable was repaired in February, 1894, it was anticipated from its condition that it might break at any time. In view of this, a new single-core cable was ordered from London, which has been laid over a new route—shorter by ten knots than the old one—between Oterangi Bay and White's Bay, the work being completed on the 6th of May last, a few days after the three-core cable parted. After full consideration it was decided to abandon the three-core cable, and to obtain another single-core cable, and lay it over the new route. This cable has been ordered, and is expected to arrive here in December next. There are now but two cable-wires across Cook Strait in the place of four; but with the aid of the Wheatstone automatic instruments introduced in January last, it has been possible to overtake all telegraph business between the North and South Islands (including delayed and Press messages) with but little delay The insulation of the old No. 4 single-core cable is remarkably low and the cable may fail at any moment, although communication through it is still maintained. The Wanganui-Wakapuaka cable has been permanently duplexed, the necessary apparatus having been obtained from England for that purpose. Nelson District. Construction. New lines have been erected from Ross to Hende's Ferry, 28c| miles Awatere to Cape Campbell, 9 miles, and Mokihinui to Seddonville, 3 miles total, 40 miles of pole and 50 miles of wire. Ten new telephone-offices have been opened—namely, Koromiko, Ngahere, Nine Mile, Seddonville, Tuamarina, Ferguson s, Hende's Ferry, Mikonui, Waitaha Ferry, and Cape Campbell. 195 miles of line have been overhauled and put in good order—namely, Picton to Kaikoura, White's Bay Section, and Blenheim to Tophouse. The lines generally are in good order, but the section from Greymouth to Inangahua (seventy miles) requires attention. Beyond this, little or no outlay will be required this year for repairs. The mileage of poles and wire in this district are 815 and 2,097 respectively Telephone Exchanges. The two exchanges in this district are working satisfactorily