NEW ZEALAND AND ITS GOVERNMENT OFFICE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8524, 29 August 1907, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND AND ITS GOVERNMENT OFFICE.

(From Our London Correspondent.) LONDON, July 19. The High Commissioner for New Zealand has just issued some interesting statistics as to the work done during the year, and they are curious as showing the enormous increase in certain directions. The number of letters received and despatched last year was 143,000, as against 103,500 in 1905, showing an average of 67,300 for the previous seven years. The number of Government despatches received from and sent to the 'colony has increased from 2,560 in 1895 "to 8,960 last year, while cablegrams have increased from 306 in 1895 to 1,055 last year. In 1905 the number was 829. Last year's shipments to New Zealand comprised 335,000 tons of rails, fastenings, and other dead-weight goods and 25,277 packages of measurement goods, as against 22,327 dead weight, and 18,311 packages B in 1905. Another business which has shown an enormous increase is that of the Life and Fire Insurance and Public Trust offices. Immigration, and in a profitable manner, has also increased. In the vear ending March 31st, 1907, 3,712 persons received reduced rate passages. They took with them capital to the value of £104,000, and incomes totalling £2,000 per annum. For the preceding year the figures were 2,469 persons £110,200 capital and £1,960 income. Since last March the granting of reduced rate passages has been limited to persons of the agricultural classes, domestic servants, and persons approved by the Emigration Office in New Zealand. Consequently the number of people sent out at reduced rates during the present year may be expected to show | a considerable decrease.

As to the publications relating to the colony, those issued last year by the department totalled 175,943 as against an average ot' 107,132 per annum for the past ten years. Lantern slides have been sent to illustrate over 100 lectures on New Zealand during the year. In the miscellaneous department, an enormous amount of special work has been done. The Mew Zealand International Exhibition has occupied an immense amount of time, There has also been the appointment of an art master, a science instructor, a professor of mathematics, a technical school lecturer, and a lecturer on mechanics, for the various colleges in New Zealand. Amongst the special shipments sent out were a consignment of fowls for Otago, partridges for Wanganui,a~d the chamois ' presented by the Emperor of Austria, all of whicn were duly mentioned in my letters of tHe respective dates. And the Produce Commissioner's office undertook the display of New Zealand products at the Liverpool and Dublin Exhibitions, and the supervision of the New Zealand permanent courts at the Industrial Institute and the Crystal Palace.