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1914. NEW ZEALAND.

POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT (REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR 1913-14.

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

General Post Office, Wellington, 24th June, 1914. My Lobd, — I have the honour to submit to Your Excellency the Report of the Post and Telegraph Department for the financial year 1913-14, and in doing so to offer the following remarks: — The business of the Department continues to be satisfactory. The excess of receipts over expenditure during the year was £96,606. A notable feature of the year's working was the large extension of telegraphic and telephonic facilities. No less than 1,073 miles of pole line and 34,899 miles of wire were erected. The system of week-end cable messages has been extended during the year to several countries, as shown in the report. Considerable public attention has been given to the radio-telegraphic service. The increase in messages over the previous year was 54 per cent, for forwarded and 87 per cent, for received communications. The charge for radio-telegrams exchanged between a telegraph-office in the Dominion and ships trading exclusively between Australia and New Zealand or between New Zealand ports has been reduced by 50 per cent. Active preparations are being made for the installation of the automatic-telephone system in the six centres for which a tender was let last year. In the industrial disturbance which took place at the end of 1913 the Department maintained mail communication with a minimum of inconvenience to the public. The maximum amount on which interest is allowed in the Savings-bank was increased rom £600 to £1,000. A system of transferring" Savings-bank accounts between New Zealand and Australia was inaugurated. Mr. W. R. Morris, the Secretary to the Department, has been appointed to represent the Dominion at the Postal Union Congress to be held at Madrid in September of this year. Matters of detail will be found at length in the report and tables which follow. I have the honour to be, My Lord, Your obedient servant, R. Hbaton Rhodes, Postmaster-General. His Excellency the Governor, Wellington.

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