15

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EXAMINATIONS. The number of officers who entered for departmental efficiency examinations held during the year was 1,551. The candidates that were either wholly or partially successful numbered 785, BUILDINGS. During the year buildings were erected as follows : —r Post-office buildings — CastlecliiL Uruti. Leigh. Waimiha. Portobello. Waiuta. Te Mata. Miramar (automatic telephone exchange). Residences for Postmasters—■ Porangahau. Waiuku. Te Karaka. Workshop-store-garage Buildings— Frankton Junction. Timaru. Garages— Clyde. Putaruru (purchased). Foxton. Ruawai. Newmarket. Tolaga Bay. Pukekohe. Warkworth. Increased accommodation has been provided at the following places : — Courtenay Place (automatic telephone Lower Hutt. exchange). Palmerston North. Frankton Junction Railway. Putaruru. Hastings. Richmond. Levin. Wellesley Street. The erection of a now post-office building at Waverley is proceeding. The following additions and alterations have been authorized : — Cromwell (addition and alterations). Papakura (alterations). Gore (addition). Pembroke (addition and alterations). Hawera (addition). Radio-Wellington (addition). Matamata (alterations). Te Teko (addition). Milton (alterations.) Waipukurau (addition and alterations). Mokauiti (addition). Walton (addition and alterations). Sites for storage purposes were purchased at Blenheim and Napier. The area of the post-office site at Carterton has been increased by the acquisition of additional land. At Palmerston North an area of land adjoining the post-office site was taken over from the Department of Agriculture. OVERSEAS MAILS. The service between Auckland and Vancouver continued to be performed by the R.M.M.S. " Aorangi " and the R.M.S. " Niagara," and that between Wellington and San Francisco by the R.M.S. " Tahiti " and the R.M.S. " Makura." Owing to the breakdown of the " Makura " in June, 1927, it was deemed expedient to send by the s.s. " Rotorua " via Panama the mails which ordinarily would have been despatched by the " Makura " via San Francisco. The average times of transmission of mails were as follow : Auckland to London (via Vancouver), thirty-one days ; London to Auckland (via Vancouver), thirty-one days ; Wellington to London (via San Francisco), twenty-nine days ; London to Wellington (via San Francisco), thirty-one days. The contracts for the Pacific services expire on the 31st March, 1929, and consideration is being given to the question of arranging new contracts as from the Ist April, 1929.