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CABLEGRAMS TO AND FROM PRISONERS OF WAR AND CIVILIAN INTERNEES IN JAPANESE HANDS After very lengthy negotiations between the International Red Cross Society, Geneva, and the Japanese Government, arrangements have been completed for the exchange of telegraphic communications between prisoners of war and civilian internees in Japanese hands and their next-of-kin. Each next-of-kin may send one reply-paid telegram a year. The service is free to both next-of-kin and prisoners of war or civilian internees. The Prisoners of War Inquiry Office, Wellington, attends to the collection and delivery of these messages in New Zealand. FREE CABLEGRAMS FOR REPATRIATED OR ESCAPED PRISONERS OF WAR Arrangements have been made whereby each New Zealand repatriated or escaped prisoner of war is afforded the facility of sending a free cablegram to his next-of-kin and of receiving a free message in reply. TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE SERVICES TELEPHONE DEVELOPMENT The number of telephone subscribers increased during the year from 181,717 to 191,189, an increase of 5-2 per cent., compared with an increase of 2-6 per cent, for the previous year. The larger number of new connections recorded for the year just ended is due to the fact that it was possible for a few months to relax slightly the restrictions on the provision of new telephone connections at those exchanges at which switching and line accommodation were available. Unfortunately, however, the relaxation of the restrictions could not be continued owing to the rapidly diminishing stocks of communications materials available for ordinary civilian purposes, and it became necessary to re-impose restrictions early in 19:15. The position now is that, apart from connections that can be provided by using subscribers' relinquished equipment, only connections essential to the war effort, or telephones required for other very urgent reasons, are being installed. The Dominion waiting list of applicants for telephone service still numbers many thousands. Most of the applications emanate from the four main centres. Little can be done to relieve the position until the switching and other equipment is obtained from overseas. VISIT OF ENGINEERING OFFICERS OVERSEAS In order to investigate the possibility of supply of urgently required automatic-telephone-exchange switching-equipment by overseas manufacturers, and to discuss fully the best method of meeting the Department's needs, two Post Office engineering officers visited the principal manufacturers of automaticexchange equipment in the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and Sweden, which arc the chief production countries of this class of apparatus. As a result, the Department has received information which will enable the necessary equipment to be obtained with the least possible delay as soon as the war situation permits. One of the officers concerned returned to the Dominion in December last, the second officer having remained in England to represent the Department in the discussion of further details and to advise manufacturers on technical matters peculiar to the operation of New Zealand switching systems. TOLL TRAFFIC A record number of toll calls was handled during the year. The number was 19,545,441, compared with 18,087,043 for the previous year, an increase of 8-1 per cent. PUBLIC CALL OFFICES The number of public call offices (coin-in-the slot) telephones in the Dominion as at the 31st March was 1,406, compared with 1,420 at. the corresponding date last year. The decrease is explained by the fact that a number of Military Camp installations were closed during the year. The total collections amounted to £97,321. INSTALLATION OF CARRIER-CURRENT TELEPHONE EQUIPMENT In order to meet the demand for additional toll circuits between Auckland and Wellington, the installation of a twelve-channel carrier telephone system to link these two cities was commenced during the year. As a result of the installation of this equipment, which it is anticipated will be ready for service by October, 1945, the present heavy delays on toll traffic between Auckland and Wellington will disappear. It is planned to install similar twelve-channel systems on other important routes throughout the Dominion, while oil some routes where the demand for additional toll circuits is not so great, a number of three-channel and single-channel systems will be installed. The equipment necessary to carry out this programme is now in the Dominion. COOK STRAIT SUBMARINE CABLES A new cable, approximately 42 miles in length, and of the coaxial type designed for high-frequency operation, has recently been received from England for use across Cook Strait to replace the four-core cable laid in 1926. The lifting of the four-core cable, portions of which will be suitable for use elsewhere, has already been successfully completed, and other preliminary operations for the laying of the new cable are in hand. It is anticipated that the cable will be laid and brought into commission at an early date. This cable, together with one of similar type laid in 1937, will permit of the ultimate establishment of up to eighty telephone channels and forty telegraph channels between the North and South Islands. There are at present twenty-one telephone channels and eleven telegraph channels between the two Islands.

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