Fy-1

33

use of the cheaper classes of cable message. With the object of placing as liberal an interpretation as possible upon the regulation, the Department communicated with other Administrations, suggesting a number of terms that might reasonably be regarded as exempt from the restriction. As a result, a list of terms exempt from the restriction has been issued. The action taken to clarify the position has been much appreciated by the business community. WEEK-END LETTER-TELEGRAM SERVICE : EXTENSION TO HOLLAND, ITALY, AND LIBYA. The week-end letter-telegram service was extended to Holland from the Ist April, 1927. Messages may be written in plain English, Dutch, or French. The rate is 14s. 2d. for twenty words or less, with a charge, of B|d. for each word over twenty words. From the sth August, 1927, the week-end letter-telegram service was extended to messages between New Zealand and Italy at a charge of B|d. a word, with a minimum charge of 14s. 2d. The week-end letter-telegram service was extended to Libya from the 26th November, 1927. The rate is 16s. Bd. for a message of twenty words or less, and lOd. for each word over twenty words. DAILY LETTER-TELEGRAM SERVICE : EXTENSION TO BELGIUM. The daily letter-telegram service was extended to Belgium from the Ist July, 1927. The rate is 15s. for a message of twenty words or less, and 9d. for each word in excess of twenty words. CABLE TRAFFIC. The number of cable messages, excluding Press, sent from Now Zealand to international offices shows an increase of 2-87 per cent, on the number sent during 1926-27, and the number sent to Australian offices shows a decrease of 2-21 per cent. Messages received from international offices increased by 3-53 per cent., and messages from Australia increased by 0-32 per cent. The proportion of cable messages sent " via Pacific " was greater than that sent by the same route during the previous year, the percentages being 66-07 and 64-29 respectively. The following table shows the total number of cable messages, excluding Press, forwarded by each route during ea.ch of the past five years ; also the percentage of such traffic falling to each.

Press messages numbering 4,925 were sent via Pacific and 2,929 via Eastern, compared with 3,090 and 4,183 respectively during 1926-27. The number received via Pacific was 7,731 and via Eastern 3,266, compared with 6,671 and 3,916 respectively. The following table shows the total number of each class of message, excluding Press, forwarded during 1927-28, as compared with the number forwarded during 1926-27 : —

5—F. 1.

Pacific. Eastern. Year. 1923-24 1924-25 1925-26 1926-27 1927-28 Messages. 167,922 185,680 204,586 204,051 210,662 Percentage of Total. 65-9 65-3 65 64-29 66-07 Year. 1923-24 1924-25 1925-26 1926-27 1927-28 i Messages. 86,797 98,571 110,146 113,355 108,167 Percentage of Total 34-1 34-7 35 35-71 33-93

1927-28. 1926-27. Forwarded. Received. Forwarded. Received. Full-rate international cable messages Deferred international cable messages Daily letter-telegrams Week-end telegrams Australian cable messages Australian night-letter telegrams 85,911 23,378 33,921 27,608 84,504 63,507 81,215 24,761 24,622 16,727 81,908 58,991 82,128 23,529 33,116 27.274 89,954 61,405 78,498 23,895 24,554 15,352 88,527 51,913 Totals 318,829 288,224 I 317,406 282,739 (For further statement of cab] ,e business & le page 49.)