POST OFFICE WORK.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 August 1917, Page 4

POST OFFICE WORK.

INTERESTING FEATURES. THE WAR CERTIFICATES. , Wellington, Aitgust 22

The full effect of the increased charges on account of the war were felt iu the revenue of the Post and Telegraph Department last year, the result being the large sum of £1,809,317 in the receipts, of which £334,000 represented increase due to the ' special war ,)tax on mail matter and telegrams. The Savings Bank side of the business also showed a remarkable increase, £2,618,988 being added to savings, which, together with £817,856 interest earned, brought the totai balance to £25,602,209. The total issue of 1916 War Loan certificates produced £1,410,666. Of these certificates over £500,000 worth have been Ipdged iu the safe custody of the Post Office. •

Discussing these bonds the Post-master-Generalremarks“ There seenis no reason whv the sale of such Government bonds should not be made permanent, in order that all classes of the community may at any time be able to readily in vest their savings and any trust funds in Siate-guaranted securities.’*

During 1916 the total number of letters, postcards and other articles delivered in the Dominion was 172.668.262, as against 173,149,509 in 1915, while parcels delivered increased from 2,886,039 to 2,981,392. It is interesting that the correspond deuce of seven person's 'and firms was prohibited transmission, while, letters addressed to prohibited persons or firms . withheld from delivery numbered 6bo. Prohibition was withdrawn iu the case of one person. Postal packets were prohibited transmission to 44 persons or firms.

During 1916 there were 6,756 inquiries for postal packets alleged to have gone astray in the post, and in 4,506 of these the missing articles were traced or accounted lof. A total of 292,266 letters, including letters addressed to soldiers, were openedjind returned to the writers by the Dead Letter Office, 47,800 were returned to ether countries tinopfened, 23,046 were re-issued, 46,213 were destroyed, 198,174 were returned to senders by chief postmasters to other countries, making the total handled by the Dead Letter Office 630,014 letters as compared with 596,360 in 1915. Other articles handled totalled 163,238, as against 184,8971111913. During the year seventy-three letters were discovered to have been posted witli previously used stamps, while 302 letters with ( libellous addresses were intercepted.