THE POST OFFICE.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 July 1925, Page 2

THE POST OFFICE.

[BY TELBCltAFir—l'Elt PItESS ASSOCIATION-.] WELLINGTON, July 23. The animal report of the Post and Telegraph Department was presented to Parliament to-day. It states that business continues to he satislactory, the excess of receipts over expenditure being £473.193. Postage income is less than last year. The telephone service has largely expanded, 1 3.3(11 new connections having been made. Twenty-one new exchanges were opened, the greatest number since the inception of the system. The number of applications on the waiting list is 3622. Then l has been keen competition for the inland mail services, the cost of which shows a reduction of £9OOO. A further reduction is possible when the letting of the next contracts is accomplished. In connection with the compulsory enrolment of electors, over seven hundred thousand cards were distributed. More inward mails now come from England via Suez as there is now a regular fortnightly connection. The Department has now a fleet of 461 motor vehicles, but even this number is insufficient for present needs. The night letter telegram service between New Zealand and the Commonwealth has become popular. The transmissions are (il)tli) a year or a million and a half words. Inland night letter telegrams are also popular. The number forwarded was 215.-173. producing a revenue of £10.535. Money order business shows a marked increase. There are 735.149 depositors with accounts in the savings hank. WELLINGTON, July 23. The postal revenue for the quarter ended 20th June was .£350,959, compared with £32(5.767 a year ago. The Telegraph revenue amounted to £157.073. against'"*£l39.26o in the previous corresponding period. These latter figures include:—Telephone Exchange revenue. £270.092; this year, compared with £257.492 a year ago. The Savings Bank deposits amounted to £9.290,799. exceeding the withdrawals hv £533.921, whereas a year ago tlie withdrawals were £7,812,890. and showed an excess of £215.921 over deposits.