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(UPLR) of the manual trunk exchange were transferred from the linefinderstage in the AGF exchange to the ARM 50 stage, and the registers werechanged for 5-digit numbering. Simultaneously with the ARM 50 stage, thecompany had ordered the installation of a new power plant for 24 volts50 amps. Thus when long distance subscriber dialling is extended to Aland,there will be equipment ready to receive the long distance circuits on a 4-wirebasis. Mariehamn also administers Jiirso exchange with its 30 subscribers,which is to be converted to the crossbar ARK system in 1957. The muchdiscussed underwater mine at Nyhamn will be among the subscribers of thelatter exchange.BuildingsThe rural automatic exchange buildings have been constructed of wood,the walls being made of old telephone poles that are still in reasonable condition,sawn down to 4" • 4" and bolted together. The walls were thereaftercovered off with insulating material. The cost of such buildings ranged from225,000—500,000 marks according to the size of the building. Owing to thekey position of the Godby exchange, however, the latter building was constructedof Siporex blocks (30 cm, k = 0.5). It measures 4x8 metres andcosts 750,000 marks. On the other hand there is an annual saving of about7,000 marks on fire insurance premiums as compared with a similar woodenbuilding. Power consumption up to now has amounted to about 70 kWhper cu.m. per annum, maintaining a minimum temperature in the automaticexchange buildings of 5—8° C. By pressing the minimum temperatureto + 1 ° C, however, it should be possible to lower the power consumption.The Mariehamn building has been extended on the north side by some10 metres to accommodate the ARM 50 equipment, the M.D.F. being placedbetween the local exchange and the transit stage. The extension also providesspace for the new power plant with its distribution board.FinanceTo finance the extensive project, the Alands Telefonandelslag decided toraise the deposit from 10 to 30,000 marks per share, to be paid up over anumber of years. The installation charge was fixed at 20,000 marks withina 3-kilometre area, and the annual subscription at 7.000 marks irrespectiveof distance.In 1952 operators' salaries amounted to 8 million marks per annum. Theyhave now fallen to half that amount, and the saving well covers the interestand amortization on the investment in automatic equipment and buildings.The long term debt is at present 42 million marks and is calculated to riseto 70 million by 1960. By that time the outside plant will have been practicallyentirely renewed. Plant, property and equipment is expected to stand at about150 million marks at the same date. The company's annual budget at presentruns at about 55 million marks. After 1960, when all larger outlays havebeen completed, it should be possible to reduce outstanding debts fairly rapidlywhile at the same time lowering the tariffs.System of Charges and Numbering SchemeThe company's previous charges, in manual and automatic areas alike,were 4 marks for local calls and 12 marks for a 3-minute zone call includingthe basic impulse in the automatic area. The automatic charges have nowbeen unified to a single tariff of 10 marks per 2 minute period irrespectiveof the origin of the call. The reason for this step was the difficulty of arrivingat fair rates for the different parishes since the group area boundaries andparish boundaries do not coincide. Moreover, one parish may have one