Punished Telegraph Service.

Manawatu Herald, 12 May 1900, Page 3

Punished Telegraph Service.

In his speech at the opening of -the Masterton Post Office the Hon. W. C. Walker referred to the enormous increase which had taken place in the work of the Post and Telegraph De-. partment of recent years. During the past jfeax the number of Articles posted in the colony was 65,---3)3,907. The number of letters and letter-cards posted last year per head of population was 47.77 as compared with 34.37 in 1890. The number of telegrams, including free Government messages, forwarded 3,469,751, an increase of 77 per cent. The extension of the telephone exchange system showed there were 7150 subscribers. The number of savings bank transactions were 530,723. The number of open accounts were 183,046. The amount deposited was £3,644,980. The sum of £3,417,299 was withdrawn. The balance at ciedit of depositors was £5,3550,371, or an increase of 118 per cent. The savings of the people, therefore, more than doubled during the ten years. The money order transactions were 589,561. The sum remitted by money orders was £2,066,---841. Postal notes to the number of 9fftai4 for £297,520 were sold. The Ujj|£t*&c oi money order offices has increased to 434, ot savings bank offices to 426, and of telegraph and telephone offices tb 016. The total number or offices of all classes has increased to 1707. The post and telegraph revenue for last year was £492,649, an increase of 47 per cent. The expenditure was £388,581, of an increase of 48 per cent.