D.—l

XXIV

A building for massage purposes was erected at Te Aroha ; a ladies' swimmingbath at Helensville ; and additions to the Hostel and the installation of a heating service at Mount Cook Hermitage, in terms of an agreement entered into between the Government and the lessees. Additions and improvements at Morere and Maruia Hot Springs were other works carried out. Provision is being made on this year's estimates for the continuation of the replacement at Rotorua of wooden with cast-iron water mains ; additions, and installation of electric-lighting schemes at Waitomo Caves Hostel, and Lake House, Waikaremoana ; extensive and necessary additions to the hotel at Te Anau ; and improvements at the different resorts under the control of the Department. TELEGRAPH EXTENSION. The persistent demand for the quickest and most modern means of communication by telegraph and telephone, and the extension of the telephone-exchange system to all parts of the country, necessitates greater provision being made year by year for the fuller development of the telegraph and telephone services in New Zealand. The past year's operations, which involved a capital expenditure of £717,000 on materials and labour, included, among other things, — (1.) The connection of 11,000 new subscribers to telephone - exchange systems : (2.) The establishing of telephone-exchange systems at Clydevale, Hawea Flat, Hinds, Karamea, Matakana, Paraparaumu, Plimmerton, St. Heliers, Uruti, and Waipiro Bay : (3.) The prosecution of new automatic installations at Wellesley Street, Auckland; Ponsonby; Mount Eden; Remuera; Onehunga ; Devonport; and Takapuna : (4.) The conversion of the Wanganui Exchange to automatic working: (5.) The extension of the automatic equipment at five exchanges : (6.) The extension of switchboard accommodation at thirty-five manual exchanges : (7.) The installation of underground and aerial cables at a number of the small exchanges : (8.) The extension of the cable system at sixty-nine exchanges : (9.) The reconstruction of the aerial system at a number of exchanges : (10.) The installation of additional multiplex telegraph instruments at Auckland and Wellington, to provide for the linking-up of the more important provincial towns by means of the multiplex system of telegraphy : (11.) The providing of direct communication over machine-printing circuits between Christchurch and Dunedin : (12.) The replacement of the primary telegraph batteries at Christchurch by the installation of the universal battery system, the first of its kind in New Zealand : (13.) The improving of the existing wireless stations in New Zealand and the Cook Islands by the installation of more modern equipment: (14.) The erection of additional telephone and telegraph circuits between the following places : — Auckland-Waimauku Featherston - Cross Creek Taipa-Parapara Christchurch-G reymouth. Hamilton-Cambridge (two) Kumara-Otira Hamilton-Ngaruawahia Kumara-Hokitika Taumarunui-Matiere Ross-Harihari Te Awamutu-Ohaupo Amberley-Omihi Stratford-Whangamomona Christchurch-Ashburton Wanganui-Raetihi Christchurch-Prebbleton Uruti-Urenui Sockburn-Dunsandel Tahora-Tatu Fairlie-Te Kapo Palmerston North - Shannon Dunedin-Lawrence Shannon-Levin Lawrence-Heriot Levin-Otaki Balclutha-Clydevale Otaki-Waikanae Dunedin-Seacliff Wellington - Palmerston North Tapanui-Kelso-Heriot.