F.—l.

30

Wanganui.

The installation of the equipment at tho automatic exchange at Wanganui has been completeei, anel the change-over to automatic took place in Dece;mber. Tho cut-over was accomplished with a minimum of trouble, and the installation has since been giving satisfactory service. AUTOMATIC EXTENSIONS. Extensions to the automatic system during the year to meet the increasing demands for telephone service comprised the following : Courtenay Place, 200 individual lines, 100 two-party lines ; Wellington South, 140 indivielual lines, 100 two-party lines ; Kelburn, 400 individual linos ; Masterton, 200 individual linos ; Palmerston North, 200 individual lines ; Wanganui (now exchange), 2,000 individual lines, 100 four-party lines. Hereunder is a return showing automatic-exchange equipment installed anel in use in tho Dominion on tho 31st March, 1924 :—

Number of Individual Lines installed. Num I Party insta ber of Lines died. Number of Individual Line Stations. Number eif Partyline Stations. Total Number Of Main Stations. Numberof Extension Stations. Total Number of Exchange. Two- I party, j , Fourj party. Automatic Telephone Stations. Auckland Exchange Area — 377 Fort Street* 1,900 1,866 34 1,900 2,277 Retuuera* 600 599 2 601 109 710 Mount Eden* 500 496 8 504 39 543 Cltristohureh Exchange Area—■ 1,500 1,433 1,563 Hereford Street* 1,433 130 St. Albans* 500 500 500 48 548 Sydenham* 300 294 294 29 323 Wellington Exchange Area — 3,400 2,943 3,089 757 3,846 Courtenay Place 100 100 146 Wellington South 1,000 100 100 885 399 1,284 87 1,371 Kelburn 1,200 779 779 48 827 Khandallah 100 100 62f 217 279 7 286 Single-office exchanges — 700 740 821 Blenheim 100 648 92 81 Hamilton 1,400 100 1,384 327 1,711 322 2,033 Masterton 1,000 100 884 194 1,078 190 1,268 Oamaru 600 100 600 64 664 86 750 Palmerston North 1,800 100 1,546 151 1,697 283 1,980 Wanganui 2,000 100 1,857 226 2,083 323 2,406 Totals 18,400 300 900 16,776 1,860 18,636 2,916 21,552 * Auxiliary a tpparatus. t )2 lines tsed for indi ividual sta .tions.