F.—l

Graph showing the Telephone-exchange Wire in Underground and Aerial Cables and Open Aerial Wire respectively each Year since 1920.

AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGES. A considerable amount of installation work was carried out during the year at the different automatic exchanges, and, where necessary, provision was made for increasing the existing equipment to meet future growth of telephone business. With a view to meeting future requirements, a good deal of development work was also done in connection with the planning and extension of automaticexchange building accommodation. Installation work and the maintenance of automatic-exchange equipment made big demands on skilled labour. In connection with this work, there is scope for lads having secondary technical-school education. To meet the growing demands it has been found necessary to recruit for training purposes a number of juniors who had already acquired at secondary schools elementary experience in mechanical and electrical work. On the 31st March, 1926, automatic exchanges in operation throughout the Dominion provided service for 32,583 subscribers' main stations, or over 30 per cent, of the total. In the four metropolitan areas 23,621 subscribers' main stations, representing 22 per cent, of the total, were connected with automatic exchanges. Auckland Metropolitan Area and District Automatic Telephone Exchanges. The new automatic-exchange system in the Auckland metropolitan area has now been in operation for a little over twelve months. Satisfaction with the system and with the service given to the public is freely expressed. Notwithstanding that the total number of subscribers in the area has very largely increased, complaints received during the past year show a marked decrease compared with those received in previous years. This satisfactory state of affairs is due to the decided improvement which the system shows over the old mixed manual and automatic systems. The Devonport Automatic Exchange, with 408 stations, was completed and brought into service on the 13th March last. Subscribers connected with this exchange are now able to communicate with the metropolitan area, free of toll charges. The Takapuna Automatic Exchange is nearing completion, and when cut into service will be absorbed in the multi-office area, thus providing Takapuna subscribers with the same switching-facilities as are now enjoyed by the Devonport telephone users.

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