F.—l

24

TOURS OF NEW ZEALAND CRICKET AND RUGBY TEAMS. During the English tour of the New Zealand cricket team progress reports and the final results of matches were telegraphed to all offices for the information of the public. These reports and results were also distributed to telephone exchanges, and the information was furnished to subscribers upon request. When necessary, the attendance usually observed after midnight for the receipt of cable press news was extended to 2 a.m. to permit of the reception of messages relating to the matches. To facilitate the handling of press messages relating to the tour, the Auckland and. Wellington Telegraph-offices were opened on Sundays at 3.30 p.m. Similar arrangements are in train for the dissemination of news in connection with the tour in South. Africa of the New Zealand Rugby football team. TRANS-TASMAN FLIGHT: SEARCH FOR MISSING AIRMEN. The versatile nature of the services rendered by the Department was peculiarly exemplified in connection with the tragic attempt in January last to fly the Tasman Sea. Throughout the day of the flight departmental experts maintained a patient and assiduous watch for signals from the airplane, and. the General Post Office was made the central point for a close examination of all reports from departmental and outside sources. Throughout the areas in which it was thought the airmen might have landed, officers of the Department kept closely in touch with search-parties and left, no report unexamined, however improbable it seemed. This service was maintained until the search was finally abandoned, many officers voluntarily remaining at their posts until the early hours of the morning. The Department also issued instructions that, wherever possible, officers were to assist in the search, and were to supply any equipment within the practicable scope of the Department. It is perhaps needless to add that all officers concerned cheerfully and eagerly rendered whatever assistance they could. INTERNATIONAL BUREAU OF THE TELEGRAPH UNION: PERSONNEL. It is learned with regret that Mr. Henry Etienne, Director of the International Bureau of the Telegraph Union, died on the 16th December, 1927. The late Mr. Etienne was an international figure in telegraph and telephone affairs. Mr. Joseph Raber was appointed Director of the Bureau from the Ist February, 1928, and Mr. L. Poulaine was appointed Vice-Director from the Ist January, 1928. MOVEMENTS OF SHIPPING: NOTIFICATION BY TELEGRAPH. The system of notifying arrivals and departures of vessels by free telegrams was abolished for a short time from the 6th October, 1927. The Department was led to take this step by the need for economy and the necessity for eliminating, wherever possible, services for which it receives no return and which are foreign to its real purpose. Although the question had been considered, on previous occasions, there had naturally been a good deal of hesitancy in discontinuing a service that the public had grown to regard as a normal function of the Department. In some instances it is necessary for the Department to pay for regular information regarding the movements of shipping. In view, however, of complaints that the abolition was causing great inconvenience to those concerned with the working of ships, as well as to the travelling public, the service was reinstated from the 17th November, 1927. TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE OFFICES OPEN FOR BUSINESS. During the past year, sixteen offices were opened and fifty-four closed. The number of offices remaining open on the 31st March, 1928, was 2,169, classified as follows : —■ Telephone-office and toll-station combined .. .. .. .. 1,793 Morse telegraph-office and toll-station combined .. .. .. 346 Telephone-office (no toll-station) .. .. .. .. .. 7 Morse telegraph-office (no toll-station) .. .. .. .. 5 Toll-station (no telephone-office) .. .. .. . . .. 9 Radio - telegraph office (including coast stations, Auckland, Awanui, Awarua, Chatham Islands, and Wellington) .. .. .. 9 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,1.69 In addition, there are five radio stations in the Cook Islands, and five in the islands of Western Samoa under New Zealand mandate. There is also a station in the Union Islands (Fakaofo). TELEGRAPH AND TOLL TRAFFIC. The figures which follow show the position in regard to telegraph and telephone traffic. Fuller information is contained in Table 11.