F—l

Other changes that were introduced were an increase in the maximum weight for overseas printed papers, a reduction from 50 gold francs (approximately £S(N.Z.)) to--25 gold francs as the maximum compensation paid for the loss of a registered article,., and the fixing of a maximum conveyance rate of 6 gold francs per tonne/kilometre for mails forwarded on extraordinary (long-distance international) air services and 3 gold francs per tonne/kilometre for ordinary (short-distance international and internal) air services. The changes adopted at the Paris Congress take effect from the Ist July, 1948. New Zealand was represented at the Congress by Mr. P. N. Cryer, Director-General,, and Mr. P. F. Stevens, Senior Supervisor, Postal Division, General Post Office. TELEGRAPH SERVICES VOLUME OF TRAFFIC During the year 7,609,416 telegrams were lodged for transmission compared with 7,908,271, a decrease of 298,855 or 3-77 per cent., on the number handled the previous year. Telegraph revenue was £665,642, a decrease of £3,868, or 0-57 per cent., on that for the previous year. The slight decrease in telegraph traffic is not unexpected, and is due to the loss of wartime business, especially telegrams sent at the soldiers' concession rate, which was abolished as from the Ist April, 1947. Telegraphic business is, however, still at a very high level. Compared with the pre-war year of 1938, the foregoing figures represent an increase in volume of nearly 40' per cent, and in revenue of approximately 100 per cent. MACHINE-PRINTING TELEGRAPHS New Installations In continuation of the policy of the Department to extend the use of machineprinting apparatus wherever warranted, a teleprinter circuit was brought into use between Auckland and Whakatane on the 16th December. Teleprinter equipment was installed also at Wellington South on the 11th September. There are now thirty-five post offices in New Zealand equipped with machine-printing telegraph apparatus. YOICE-FREQUENCY TELEGRAPH NETWORK Additional Installations During the year multi-channel voice-frequency telegraph systems were installed between the following places : Channels. Auckland-Wellington .. .. .. .. 12 Whangarei-Auckland .. ~ .. ... 12 Napier-Wellington .. .. .. ~ 12 Wellington-Wanganui .. .. .. .. .. 6 Wellington - New Plymouth .. .. .. 6 The installation of these channels has resulted in an improvement in -the stability of telegraph circuits and a reduction in the time lost due to line-faults.

10