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Subsidized Lines. From the 522 subsidized lines and private wires the amount received as rental and for maintenance was £4,515 17s. 6-|-d. Alterations, Installations, etc. Throe offices were converted from telephone to Morse, and four from Morse to telephone. New test-boards were installed in eleven telegraph-offices, and forty-one offices were rewired. Sixty-five offices were removed to new positions. Number of Telegraph-offices in Dominion. Offices opened during year, 40 ; offices closed during year, 54 ; offices remaining open on 31st March, 1923, 2,307. Poles and Wire. The length of telegraph and toll pole line and wire on the 31st March, 1922 and 1923, respectively, was as follows :—

New Telegraph and Toll Works. The following new works in connection with the telegraph and toll services were completed during the year:— New Metallic Circuits. —Auckland-Paeroa (two), Auckland-Otahuhu, Auckland-Takapuna, Balclutha—Glenomaru, Hawera - New Plymouth, Isla Bank - Fairfax, Lower Hutt - Taita, LumsdenBalfour, Manutuke-Muriwai, Murchison-Ariki, New Plymouth - Opunake, Pihama-Opunake, RotoruaHamurana, Rotorua-Whakatane, Seddon-Jordan, Stratford-Whangamomona, Wairoa-Waikaremoana, Westport - Inangahua Junction, Whakatane-Teteko. Telephone-offices reopened. —Greenstreet, Orangapai, Ohautira, Parkvale, Pahitoa, Wahirakau, Ngapohatu, Omimi. New Telephone-offices opened. —Bog Roy, Donnelly's Crossing, Glenafton, Huatoki, Kaharoa, Kainga, Koura, Mangapani, Maraeroa, Maruia, Mocrangi, Mount Cargill, Nelson South, Omahanui, Otangaroa, Pokere, Puketeraki, Roporoa, Riccarton, Springs Junction, South New Brighton, Tahekenui, Tapuwae, Te Hapara, Terapatiki, Tuai, Waikaremoana, Waikokopu, Waipara Suburban, Whangaipotiki, Whangapeka, Whenuanui. Toll line communication between the undermentioned places was obtained by rearrangement of circuits : Auckland-Bay of Plenty, including Tauranga, Te Puke, Matata, Whakatane, and Rotorua exchanges ; Auckland - New Plymouth ; Te Aroha - Paeroa ; Napier-Taupo ; Napier Rotorua ; Ambcrley-Waikari; Timaru-Gcraldine : while continuous communication between Auckland and Wellington was made available at any time of the day or night instead of between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. only. During the year 119 miles of new telegraph and toll pole line were erected, and 62 miles dismantled for erection elsewhere, or, in localities where the Department no longer required it, sold, to the settleus for use as private lines. Of telegraph and toll wire 1,197 miles were erected and 239 miles dismantled, making an increase of 958 miles during the year. The total length of telegraph and toll wire in use--viz., 51,596 miles —may be classified as follows: 7,738 miles used exclusively for telephone toll traffic, 12,946 miles used exclusively for telegraph traffic, and 30,912 miles used simultaneously for telephone toll and telegraphic traffic. The total length of wire available for telephone toll traffic is therefore 38,650 miles ; the total length available for the transmission of telegrams, 43,858 miles ; the length of wire gained for telegraphic transmission by superimposing, 8,656 miles ; and toll lines over which telegrams are transmitted by telephone, 13,598 miles. Phantom circuits were decreased by 600 miles, and superimposed circuits decreased by 1,686 miles. Machine-printing Telegraphs. The conversion of existing Morse telegraph circuits to machine-printing circuits has been extended during the year by the installation of the Murray multiplex machine-printing system between Wellington and Auckland.

Year ended 31st March Mil Year ended 31st March 1922. Mill js of Pole Li Year ended 31st March, 1923. ie. Increase. Year ended 31st March, 1922. iiles of Wire. Year ended 31st March, Increase. 1923. 1922. Telegraph and toll plant ... Telephone-exchange plant Totals „^_ ... 11,855* 5,984 ... 17,839 11,912 6,872 57 888 47,658* 207,529 48,616 958 229,882 22,353 278,498 23,311 18,784 945 255,187_ * Revised fig ;ures for 1922 i