POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT (REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR 1940-41.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1941 Session I, F-01

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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR 1940-41.

CONTENTS.

PAGE Adhesive Stamps Act, 1939: Regulations.. 12 Air Force Recruits: Training in Morse Telegraphy . . .. .. . . 15 Air Mails — Empire Service .. .. 4, 10 Inland .. .. .. 10 Trans-Pacific Service .. .. 4, 11 Trans-Tasman Service.. .. 4, 11 Appeal Board .. .. .. 7 Association, Post and Telegraph Employees': Merger with Post and Telegraph Officers' Guild .. .. .. 8 British Postal Orders .. . . . . L2 Buildings .. .. .. 9 Cable Messages : Number and Value .. 23 Commercial Branch . . . . 9 Conference of Senior Controlling Officers .. 7 Concessions to Men on War Service 4, 10, 14, 15 Cook Strait Cables .. .. 16 Co-ordination of Staffs of Clerical Branches at Chief Post-offices and Engineers' Offices 8 Correspondence for Prisoners of War interned Abroad .. .. .. 11 Correspondence School . . .. 9 Dead Letter Office .. .. 12 Financial Operations .. .. 3, 5, 18 Guild, Post and Telegraph Officers' : Merger with Post and Telegraph Employees' Association .. .. .. 8 Health Stamps .. . . .. 11 Joint Advisory Scheme : Introduction .. 8 Mail-services — Inland . . .. . . 10 Overseas .. .. .. 4, 10, 11 Military Allotment Warrants : Payment .. 13 Money-orders — Business during Year .. 12, 18, 19 Business since 1863 .. .. 18, 19 Motor-spirits, &c. : Rationing .. .. 14 Motor-vehicles — Departmental.. .. .. 9 Impressment for Armed Services .. 14 Registration, &c. .. .. 13 National Savings Bonds .. ~ 13 National Savings Movement: Post-office Participation .. .. .. 8 Officers — Cost-of-living Allowance: Payment .. 6 Health .. .. .. 5 Minimum Wage for Married Employees : Increase .. .. .. 6 Number employed .. .. .. 5 On War Service .. .. .. 6

PAGE Officers —continued. Senior Controlling: Conference .. 7 Sick Benefit Fund .. .. .. 7 Training .. .. .. .. 6, 7 Parcel-post, Overseas : Volume .. . , 19 Postage-stamps, &c. . . . . 11 Postal Articles posted and delivered .. 23 Postal Notes . . .. .. 12 Post-office Hours : Half-holiday .. 10 Post Office Investment Certificates: Discontinuance .. .. .. 13 Post Office Patriotic Fund .. .. 8 Post Office Savings-bank— Business during Year .. .. 3, 12, 20 Business since 1868 . . . . .. 21 Letters of Credit .. .. 13 National Savings Movement .. 8, 13 School Savings Branch .. .. 13 Promotion Board Appointment .. .. 7 Radio Broadcasting — Alien Emergency Regulations 1940 .. 16 Radio-dealers' Licenses .. 16 Radio Interference .. .. 16 Radio-receiving Licenses . . 16, 22 Radio - telegraph and Radio - telephone Services — Inspection of Radio Equipment on Ships 16 Radio Beacon and Communication Systems : Installations .. . . 16 Radio Emergency Regulations 1940 .. 16 Radio-telegrams : Number and Value . . 23 Service for Small Ships : Inauguration .. 16 Training School for Radio Operators .. 7 Transmission of Press News for N.Z.E.F... 16 Receipts and Payments .. . 3, 5, 18 Regulations under Adhesive Stamps Act, 1939 .. .. .. .. 12 Sick Benefit Fund .. .. .. 7 Social Security Work .. .. 13 Staff — Chief Post-office and Engineer's Office Clerical Branches : Co-ordination.. .. 8 Cost-of-living Allowance: Payment . . 6 Health .. . . .. 5 Joint Advisory Scheme .. .8 Minimum Wage for Married Employees: Increase .. .. .. 6 Number . . .. .. 5 Personal .. .. .. 5 Post-office Hours : Half-holiday .. 10 Problems due to War Conditions . 6 Sick Benefit Fund .. .. .. 7 Training .. .. .. .. 6, 7

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CONTENTS—continued. PAGE PAGE Stores : Purchase .. .. .. 9 Telephone-exchange Services—continued. Suggestions Board .. .. 10 Public Call Offices .. .. 17, 22 Telegraph Service — Telephone Connections : Classification .. 22 Air Force Recruits: Training in Morse Telephone Development .. 16, 22 Telegraphy .. .. 15 Telephone Toll Service — Concession-rate Telegrams to and from After-hour Facilities .. .. ..15 Members of Armed Forces in New Charges: Amended Scale .. .. 15 Zealand .. .. .. 4, 14 Concessions to Personnel at Military Camps Curtailment of Services and Hours of and Air Force Stations ... 4, 15 Attendance .. .. .. ..14 Extension of Toll Systems .. .. 15 Decorative Telegram Stationery .. 14 Traffic .. .. . . 22 Free Cablegrams to and from Children Training of Staff .. .. .. 6, 7 evacuated from Great Britain .. 14 War—-Machine-printing Telegraphs : Installations 15 Concessions for Men on War Service 4,10,14,15 Multi-channel Carrier-frequency Systems.. 15 Cost-of-living Allowance .. .. 0 Telegrams to New Zealand Naval Per- Effect on Staff .. ~ .. 6 sonnel serving Overseas .. 4, 14 Enlistment of Officers, &c. .. .. 6 Telegrams to Soldiers on Active Service 4, 15 Impressment of Motor-vehicles for Armed Traffic .. .. . . 14, 22 Services .. .. .. 14 Telegraph Training-schools .. .. 7 Military Allotment Warrants .. 13 Telephone-exchange Services— Minimum Wage for Married Employees.. 6 Lower Hutt Auxiliary Manual Exchange.. 17 Post Office Patriotic Fund .. .. 8 New Automatic-telephone-exchange Equip- Rationing of Motor-spirits, &c... 14 ment .. .. .. 17 Work for other Departments .. . . 13 Number of Telephone Exchanges .. 17 Workshops .. .. 9

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1941. NEW ZEALAND.

POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT (REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR 1940-41.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

To His Excellency Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Cyril Louis Norton Newall, G.C.8., 0.M., G.C.M.G., C.8.E., A.M. May it please Your Excellency,— I have the honour to submit to Your Excellency, with the following comment, the report of the Post and Telegraph Department for the year ended on the 31st March, 1941 RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS. The revenue collected during the year, which amounted to £5,106,193, exceeded that for the previous year by £312,502. Payments for the year in respect of working-expenses (including interest on capital liability amounting to £665,000) totalled £4,338,902. The excess of receipts over payments was £767,291. POST OFFICE SAVINGS-BANK. Post Office Savings-bank deposits were £28,607,222, compared with £25,151,287 during the previous year, an increase of £3,455,935. Interest credited to depositors amounted to £1,666,709. The withdrawals totalled £25,319,146, compared with £29,462,838 in the preceding year, a decrease of £4,143,692. The amount at credit of depositors at the 31st March was £62,956,787, which is £4,954,785 in excess of the balance at the end of last year. The number of accounts open at the 31st March was 992,792, which is 32,227 in excess of the total recorded at the end of 1939-40. The average amount at the credit of depositors on the 31st March was £63 Bs. 3d., compared with £60 7s. Bd. on the same date in the previous year. STAFF. Notwithstanding the departure of an ever-increasing number of officers for service with the armed forces, I think it can be said that the standard of the service given to the public during the year was, in the circumstances, creditably high. For this two factors were mainly responsible—the expedients and innovations adopted by the Administration in meeting the difficulties of the staffing situation, and the wholehearted manner in which officers accommodated themselves to the changed conditions. Without that valuable co-operation from officers as a whole, it would not have been possible to achieve with a heavily-depleted staff handling an increasing volume of work—much of it occasioned by the war—anything like the degree of success which it is my pleasure to record. The measures adopted will go a long way towards tiding the Department over the war period and at the same time safeguard the interests of officers on war service. Prominent among these measures is the gradual extension of the arrangement under which women specially engaged for the period of the war are being employed successfully on work that would normally be performed by men. Good results are expected also from the adoption of a scheme under which junior officers will be given an intensive course of training in various phases of departmental activity. The scheme has already been introduced in a modified form ; it will be extended, as soon as conditions permit, until the comprehensive system of training that is envisaged is in full operation.

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Up to the end of the year, nearly 1,400 of the Department's officers had been released for service with the forces overseas. That these men, many of whom possess specialized knowledge of tele-communication services that will be invaluable in the field, will play a worthy part in the defence of their country and the Empire there is not the slightest doubt. A number of them, I have to record with deep regret, have already made the supreme sacrifice. Extremely gratifying indeed has been the response of officers to the invitation to contribute to the Post Office Patriotic Fund established in March, 1940. Up to the end of March last the amount paid from that fund to the National and Provincial Patriotic Funds was no less than £6,000 —a handsome contribution to the comfort and welfare of our fighting men. Contributions to the Post Office Fund do not, of course, represent the only call upon the generosity of officers for patriotic purposes. They, with members of the community generally, have given liberally through other channels to the Provincial Funds. CONCESSIONS FOR MEN ON WAR SERVICE. Last year I mentioned that my Department had granted a number of concessions to men serving overseas with the New Zealand and other Empire forces. I am gratified to be able to record that it was found possible during the year to arrange further concessions to the men on war service. The concession-rate service introduced last year for cablegrams to and from members of the forces abroad was replaced on the 16th June last by a " standard text" service under which more information can be included in a telegram without any increase in the basic rate of 2s. 6d. My Department desires to acknowledge the personal interest taken in this matter by Sir Edward Wilshaw, managing director of Cable and Wireless, Ltd., London, without whose co-operation the cheaper rate would not have been possible. The concession has since been extended to include messages to and from members of His Majesty's forces, including naval personnel in all Empire countries and Egypt. In addition, members of the merchant navy also may now lodge such messages Other concessions granted during the year included a cheap rate for toll calls effected by members of the fighting Services from military or Air Force camp post-offices in the Dominion ; a reduced rate for inland telegrams to and from members of the armed forces ; a cheap rate of postage on air-mail letters addressed to members of the fighting Services overseas, including members of the British merchant service; and the extension to parcels addressed to members of the British merchant service at overseas ports of the reduced rate applicable to parcels for members of the forces abroad. OVERSEAS AIR MAIL-SERVICES. The trans-Pacific air service, which commenced operating between Auckland and San Francisco on the 20th July, 1940, on a fortnightly schedule, is the latest of the air services to connect the Dominion with overseas countries. This link provides easily the fastest service to America and, by connection with the North Atlantic air services, to the United Kingdom. The Empire air service has continued to operate successfully throughout the year, although the Egypt - United Kingdom section was suspended upon Italy's entry into the war. As a result, an alternative service to the United Kingdom was established via Capetown —by air to Capetown and thence by sea to the United Kingdom. The trans-Tasman service has operated very efficiently and regularly throughout the year. Only one or two short delays occurred. DETAILED REPORT. A detailed report of the Department's activities during the year ended on the 31st March, 1941, follows. I have the honour to be, Your Excellency's most obedient servant, P. C. Webb. General Post Office, Wellington C. 1, 14th July, 1941.

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STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL OPERATIONS AND BUSINESS OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1941. RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS.

The receipts and payments of the Department for the financial year 1940-41 arc shown in the following account: — Receipts. Payments. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ a. d. £ s. d. Balance forward .. .. .. .. 38,460 12 0 Salaries .. .. .. 2,281,303 9 7 Postages .. .. 1,430,071 17 6J Conveyance of ocean and air Money-order and postal-note mails .. .. 96,565 12 3 commission .. .. 69,803 7 9 Conveyance of inland mails.. 165,387 11 2 Private box and bag rents Conveyance of mails by rail.. 96,411 16 8 and rural-delivery fees .. 63,698 7 1 Maintenance of telegraph and Miscellaneous receipts .. 592,992 10 9 telephone lines .. .. 241,209 0 6 Paid telegrams .. .. 352,605 16 2£ Renewals and replacements.. 51,280 0 0 Paid tolls .. .. 886,634 10 lOf Motor services and workshops 106,715 2 8 Telephone-exchange receipts 1,710,386 14 9j Maintenance of Post and Tele5,106,193 5 0 graph buildings .. 57,671 15 4 Miscellaneous .. .. 570,637 18 1 Interest on capital liability 665,000 0 0 Sick Benefit Fund .. 6,720 0 0 4,338,902 6 3 Paid to Consolidated Fund .. .. 30,000 0 0 Renewal and replacement of Assets Fund (investment) .. .. .. .. 737,000 0 0 Balance carried down .. .. .. 38,757 10 9 £5,144,659 17 0 £5,144,659 17 0 £ s. d. Balance brought down .. .. .. 38,757 10 9 The total cash value of the transactions of the Department, inclusive of the above, amounted to approximately £362,000,000. STAFF. Personal. Mr. L. L. Hills, Divisional Director, General Post Office, retired on superannuation on the 31st March after completing forty-one years' service. Mr. Hills was replaced as a Divisional Director by Mr. H. McGill. Mr. F. G. Nind, Chief Postmaster, Wellington, retired on superannuation on the 18th January after completing forty-one years' service. Mr. Nind was replaced by Mr. F. W. Mathews, Deputy Chief Postmaster, Wellington. Comparative Returns of Persons employed in Department. Permanent staff — Ist April, 1940. Ist April, 1941. Administrative .. .. .. . . . . 12 12 First Division .. .. .. .. '.. 4,585 4,734 Second Division .. .. .. .. .. 6,528 6,317 Message-boys .. .. .. .. .. 721 701 11,846 11,764 Temporary staff .. .. .. .. .. 165 791 Casual staff .. . . . . . . . . 773 817 *12,784 f13,372 Non-permanent staff— Country' Postmasters and Telephonists .. .. 1,576 1,556 Postmasters who are Railway officers .. .. 90 89 14,450 15,017 * Includes 557 serving with forces. t Includes 1,395 serving with forces. Health of Permanent Staff. The following table shows, in comparison with the figures for the preceding year, the average number of days on which officers were absent on sick-leave during the year: — Number on Average Absence Average Absenoe Staff. per Sick for each Officer Year ended 31st March, 1941— Officer. employed.. Men .. .. .. ..*9,521 11-42 5-68 Women .. .. .. .. 959 12-69 7-48 Year ended 31st March, 1940 — Men .. .. .. 10,834 10-73 5-72 Women .. .. 1,012 13-38 8-13 Thirty-six officers died during the year. * Excludes 1,284 officers absent with forces.

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Officers on War Service. Up to the end of March the number of employees of the Department released for service with the armed forces overseas had reached a total of 1,395, comprising 1,284 permanent officers and 111 temporary employees. The response of officers to the call for service with the forces has been most gratifying. Up to the time when the voluntary system of recruitment was discontinued no fewer than 1,537 had enlisted. Every effort has been and continues to be made to release men who are called up for service. Exemption is applied for only in cases of absolute necessity. Since the commencement of the war exemption has been sought for thirty-eight men —all technical officers or radio operators. It is recorded with regret that two of the Department's officers have been killed in action, one has died from sickness, two are reported missing, and four are prisoners of war. Four officers have received decorations for meritorious services and five others gained special mention in despatches. Following the introduction of the intensive training scheme for Territorial units, no fewer than 1,256 officers were released to undergo three months' Territorial training. At the end of March there were 581 departmental officers in Territorial camps throughout the Dominion. Staffing Problems due to War Conditions. With many of its trained personnel serving with the armed forces, it was only to be expected that the Department would experience difficulty in maintaining its staff at a strength sufficient to meet all requirements. Some measure of relief has been obtained by retaining in service beyond their normal time of retirement a number of officers who have completed forty years' service. The Department's main effort in meeting the staffing problem has, however, been in the direction of employing female labour. Every endeavour has been made to secure the right type of applicant, and, generally, the women placed in employment are performing good service and have quickly adapted themselves to departmental work. These women are being engaged purely on a temporary basis and on the clear understanding that their services are required only for the duration of the war. Whenever possible, the wives of officers released for war service are given employment in the Department. The policy of training young women in certain work formerly undertaken by men —for instance, in machine - printing telegraphy — has been adopted with very good results. A training-school in machine-printing was opened in May, and already sixty-two trainees have completed the course and are now being employed as full working units in telegraph offices where the machine-printing system is in operation. Twenty-three trainees who are still in the school should soon qualify, and additional applicants are being selected for training. Another arrangement which eased the staffing position was the working of branches of the Service with minimum staffs during the Christmas - New Year period and up to the middle of January. In this way it was possible not only to dispose of a considerable amount of annual leave, but also to utilize relief staffs to greater advantage. Moreover, many officers were afforded the opportunity of taking a mid-summer vacation —an opportunity that was welcomed, particularly by married officers with children of school age. It seems hardly necessary to add that the need for effecting staff economies during wartime has received close attention. It was realized that, wherever possible, man-power should, in the national interest, be conserved. Many avenues of saving man-power were therefore investigated, and some services to the public which during wartime could scarcely be justified in full measure were curtailed. Cost-of-living Allowance. Payment of a cost-of-living allowance to all State servants was authorized by Government with effect as from the 12th August, 1940. The allowance is at the rate of ss. a week for employees paid on an hourly, daily, or weekly rate, and £13 per annum for those paid on either a monthly or an annual rate, and is payable to all employees of eighteen years and over who are in receipt of salary not exceeding £335 per annum or the equivalent in daily, hourly, or weekly wages. For juniors under eighteen years of age the allowance is at the rate of £6 10s. per annum if they are residing away from home and £3 ss. per annum if they are living at home. In the case of officers whose salaries or wages exceed £335 per annum, the allowance abates by £1 for every £3 or fraction thereof of salary in excess of £335. No allowance is payable when the salary exceeds £374 per annum. Non-permanent Postmistresses who are in receipt of salaries of not less than £50 per annum and who are employed full time on departmental duties in accommodation used solely for post-office purposes also receive the allowance. Minimum Wage for Married Employees. The rate of remuneration operating throughout Government Departments as the minimum for married men received consideration during the year. It was agreed that circumstances justified an increase on the then existing rate of £210 Bs. Id., and Government approved an additional amount of £20 per annum being paid to these men, with effect as from the Ist October. This increase, together with the cost-of-living allowance of £13 per annum also authorized by Government, will assist materially those married officers on the lower rates of classified salary.

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Promotion Boaed. Mr. S. A. Ogilvie, Divisional Director, General Post Office, was appointed a member of the Post and Telegraph Promotion Board during the year in succession to Mr. L. L. Hills, who retired from the Service. Appeal Board. The Post and Telegraph Appeal Board, under the Chairmanship of Mr. H. A. Young, Stipendiary Magistrate, Christchurch, sat at a number of the more important centres during the year. The session commenced at Dunedin on the 3rd July and terminated in Wellington on the 16th August. Appeals totalling 319, received from 169 officers, were adjudicated upon, with the following results : Allowed, 2 ; conceded by Department, 5 ; withdrawn, 72 ; did not lie, 4 ; disallowed, 235. In one other case the Appeal Board recommended that the appellant be allotted the same grading and salary as the appointee. During the year Mr. A. Robertson, the Postal representative on the Appeal Board, was rc-elected unopposed for a further term of three years. Mr. A. C. Wells being the only officer nominated for the position of Telegraph representative, was duly elected. The retiring Telegraph representative on the Board, Mr. G. A. Wilkes, did not seek re-election, Siok Benefit Fund. During the year 698 officers were granted assistance from the Sick Benefit Fund. The Fund has now been recognized as a sick benefit fund for the purposes of the Land and Income Tax Amendment Act, 1940, and the Social Security Contribution Regulations, Amendment No. 1. This means, in effect, that any payments made from the Fund since the 31st, March, 1940, are exempt from income-tax and from the social security charge and the national security tax. Staff-training. Apart from tuition in telephone-exchange operation, in Morse and radio operating, and in machine-printing telegraphy, no intensive staff-training for its officers has previously been undertaken by the Department. It is now considered, however, that a comprehensive scheme of intensive training shoulcj be undertaken, and arrangements are being made with this object in view. Although it is not practicable at present to introduce the main projects which the Administration has in mind, a start is about to be made with the establishment of several classes in a modified form. These will be given intensive training over specified periods in sub-office duties, in radio procedure and geography, in toll and telephone-exchange operating, and in motor and electrical work. Practical and theoretical tuition in each course will be provided. For instance, in the course for exchange operators, which will cover eight weeks, the trainees, in addition to receiving switchboard practice, will receive, by means of lectures, demonstrations, voice cultiire, and a course of study, instruction in all other phases of exchange service. The object of the schools will be to provide for the students a sound foundational training which will enable them to become useful working units in the shortest possible time. It is hoped, when conditions are favourable, to extend, the scheme by the establishment of classes for other officers. Preliminary courses and draft time-tables have already been prepared in respect of classes for junior engineers, mail-room, money-order and savings-bank, and other clerical officers, cable-jointers, and mechanicians. It is considered that the ideal arrangement would be to have all the courses conducted at one central training-school, and this aspect is to receive consideration later in connection with the establishment of the main scheme. Training Schools for Telegraph Operators. As a result of the war, considerable demands have been made upon the Department's staff of skilled radio telegraphists, and it soon became apparent that a reserve of these officers would be necessary to meet future requirements. A school was therefore established in Wellington in July for the training of specially-selected telegraph cadets in radio operating. Good progress has been made, and up to the end of the year forty of these cadets had been fully trained. As the demand for radio telegraphists is likely to continue for the duration of the war, it is the Department's intention to keep the school functioning so that a constant supply of radio operators will be available. In addition to the school for radio operators, there is in operation in Wellington a school for the training of male and female officers in machine-printing telegraphy as well as a school for the training of male officers in Morse telegraphy. Morse-telegraph schools are established also in Auckland and Christchurch. Conference of Senior Controlling Officers. In pursuance of the policy of securing close co-operation and co-ordination in departmental activities a conference of senior controlling officers was held in Wellington during the last week of February. The conference, which was the first of its kind since 1923, was attended by Chief Postmasters and Inspectors, by Engineers in charge of the more important districts, and by many senior officers of the General Post Office. The conference was held primarily for the purpose of discussing the measures taken or about to be taken by the Post Office to meet war conditions, and of enabling a general review to be made of the effects of recent policy changes introduced in the Department. Consideration was also given to proposals for improving the organization and methods of management within the Department. The conference was an undoubted success, and the results of its deliberations are likely to be of especial value in the administration of the Service,

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Joint Advisory System. The year under review saw the introduction in the Department of a scheme of staff consultation known as the Joint Advisory System. The scheme, which is based on, but not altogether identical with, the Whitley Councils of the British Post Office, provides for a series of committees, through the agency of which the staff is afforded the opportunity of being more actively associated with the management of the Department. The main committee, which is termed the Joint Advisory Council, is comprised of twelve members, six, representing the Department, being appointed by the Director-General, and the remaining six, representing the Service organization, by the Dominion Executive of the Post and Telegraph Employees' Association and Officers' Guild. District Advisory Committees have been set up at each Chief Post-office in the Dominion and at certain other offices. In association with District Committees there are Branch Advisory Committees representing one or more branches at each office, the number being determined largely by the status of the office. The functions of the Joint Advisory Council are to consider any matters referred to it and to make recommendations to the Department where thought necessary or desirable. The District Advisory Committees and the Branch Advisory Committees are in the nature of subsidiary organizations. Their object is to deal with matters having a more or less local application. They also consider any proposals and suggestions brought before them, and, where necessary, refer to the next higher committee any matters that may be deemed to have a wider application. The main object of the Joint Advisory System is to secure, in matters affecting the efficient working of the Department and the welfare of its employees, the greatest measure of co-operation between the Administration and the executive officers of the Department on the one hand and the general body of the staff on the other. At the same time it aims at pooling the experience of officers and harmonizing different points of view concerning conditions of service generally. The Administration is confident that the staff generally will welcome the introduction of the scheme, which will provide the means whereby the ideas of all can be associated and utilized to their maximum value to the ultimate benefit of the Service as a whole. Co-ordination op Staffs of Clerical Branches at Chief Post-offices and Engineers' Offices. A change in the staffing arrangements of the Clerical Branches at a number of the more important Chief Post-offices was introduced during the year by the appointment at each of these offices of an officer with the designation of Chief Clerk. The appointments were made with the dual object of amalgamating the clerical staffs of the Chief Postmaster's Office and Telegraph Engineer's Office and of co-ordinating the work performed in these branches. Under the new system facilities will exist which will enable the members of both clerical staffs to acquire a knowledge of the work of the combined branches. The arrangement should prove beneficial both to the Department and to the officers themselves. At the four main centres there are difficulties in the way of bringing about an amalgamation of the two branches in question, and it is not proposed to take any action in this respect in the meantime at least. Merger of Post and Telegraph Employees' Association and Post and Telegraph Officers' Guild. As from the Ist June, the Post and Telegraph Employees' Association and the Post and Telegraph Officers' Guild merged in one organization under the title of " The Post and Telegraph Employees' Association and Officers' Guild, Incorporated." NATIONAL SAVINGS MOVEMENT: POST OFFICE PARTICIPATION. The Post Office has taken a leading part in the National Savings Movement which was inaugurated by Government during the year, the bulk of the organizing and detailed work of the scheme having been entrusted to the Department. Selected departmental officers were appointed as organizers at the more important centres and allotted the task of organizing on a national scale the full support of all sections of the community. The method adopted was to establish personal contact with the management of business firms with the object of securing their interest in the scheme and, with their co-operation, of setting up savings groups amongst the employees. An employee or other representative of each establishment acts as a group collector and undertakes the regular collection and payment to the Post Office of the sums collected. The scheme provides the investor with an avenue whereby he is enabled to contribute to the Dominion's war effort, and at the same time to lay aside for himself a sum of money to be used when conditions return to normal. It is pleasing to record that the great majority of the Department's employees possess National Savings Accounts. POST OFFICE PATRIOTIC FUND. Contributions from the Post Office Patriotic Fund paid to the National and Provincial Patriotic Funds from the time of establishment of the Post Office Fund (March, 1940) to the 31st March, 1941, were as follows: To National Fund, £4,000; to Provincial Funds, £2,000.

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CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOL. During the year a course in the subject of telephone transmission was added to the curriculum, thus increasing the number of courses to fifteen. The new course, which will be issued during the coming year, will meet a keen demand for information regarding the toll network and modern type of carrier-current telephone equipment associated therewith. The other courses attracted some four hundred students during the year. Of those who availed themselves of the facilities provided by the School, 78 per cent, passed the examinations held at the conclusion of the courses. COMMERCIAL BRANCH. The revenue value of the transactions dealt with by the Commercial Branch during the year amounted to £51,342. The decrease of £9,774 compared with the preceding year is attributable to a reduction in staff and a curtailment of activities. Of the business dealt with during the year, £33,615 represents telephone business, the balance, £17,727, being in respect of advertising, postal, and miscellaneous.

STORES. Purchase of Stores during the Year 1940-41 (including Stores purchased from other Departments and Stores manufactured in Post and Telegraph Workshops).

Stocks as at 31st March, 1941. £ Wellington District .. .. .. .. 447,264 Auckland District .. .. .. .. 156,747 Christchurch District .. .. .. .. 72,055 Duncdin District .. .. .. .. .. 58,877 £734,943 DEPARTMENTAL MOTOR-VEHICLES. The purchase of new motor-vehicles during the year was greatly restricted, necessitating the retention in service of some of the older units for a longer period than usual. New vehicles placed in service numbered 14, all of which were of British manufacture. The number of vehicles in commission at the end of the year was 870, comprising 219 cars and 651 trucks and vans. Including old vehicles held for disposal, the fleet shows a decrease of 12 as compared with the previous year. The total mileage covered during the year was 5,514,129 miles, which represents a reduction of 1,376,070 miles compared with the previous year. WORKSHOPS. The total value of the work performed in the various workshops during the year amounted to £240,663, of which £44,464 represents the value of services rendered to other Government Departments. BUILDINGS. During the year the erection of the following departmental buildings was completed : Chief Postoffice buildings at Hamilton and Wanganui; post-office buildings at Brown's Bay, Kaukapakapa, Stockton Mine, Taupo, and Waiouru Military Camp ; automatic-exchange buildings at Avondale, Birkenhead, and Gisborne ; line store and garage buildings at Nelson and Tauranga ; garages at Arrowtown, Culverden, Waiau, and Waiuku ; and a receiving-station building at Awarua Radio. The new Chief Post-office buildings at Hamilton and Wanganui and the new post-office building at Taupo were opened officially by the Postmaster-General (the Hon. P. C. Webb) on the 2nd December, the 11th December, and the 20th September, respectively. Additions were made to the post-office buildings at Culverden, Dominion Road, Huntly, Matamata, Ngongotaha, Te Mata, Upper Hutt, Waharoa, and Waikaka, and to the automatic-exchange buildings at Devonport and Onehunga.

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Procured On Indent. within Total. New Zealand. £ £ £ Purchases for Post and Telegraph Department 228,248 280,037 508,285 Purchases arranged for other Departments, comprising (1) motor - vehicles for all Departments except the Post and Telegraph, and (2) other stores for nonpurchasing Departments .. .. 78,162 67,466 145,628 306,410 347,503 653,913

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The erection of the following new buildings was in progress at the end of the year : Christchurch (Chief Post-office), Dunedin (store and workshops), Invercargill (Chief Post-office), Katikati (post-office and quarters), Lower Hutt (post-office), Mosgiel (post-office and Postmaster's residence), Mount Albert (automatic exchange), and Te Kuiti (post-office). Major additions to the Auckland Chief Post-office building and the Ponsonby automatic exchange and major alterations to the Auckland (Newmarket) store and workshops buildings were in progress at the end of the year, as well as alterations to the Chief Post-office building at Timaru. The post-office buildings at Katikati and Tarawera were destroyed by fire on the 12th October and the 27th October, respectively. SUGGESTIONS BO ART). Some 201 suggestions for the better working of the Department were received from officers during the year, and six awards, involving a total sum of £19, were made for meritorious proposals. POST-OFFICE HOURS: HALF-HOLIDAY. In view of the urgent need for conserving man-power following the enlistment of a large number of the Department's officers, it was found necessary early in the year to introduce a half-holiday (generally a Saturday) at all but the principal post-offices. POSTAL SERVICES. POSTAL CONCESSIONS TO MEMBERS OF ARMED FORCES, ETC. A further reduction was made in April, 1940, in the postage rates on parcels for members of the armed forces overseas, irrespective of destination. The rates were reduced from Is. 6d. to Is. for a 3 lb. parcel, and from 3s. to 2s. for a 7 lb. parcel. Additionally, provision was made for the acceptance, in exceptional circumstances, of parcels up to 11 lb. in weight. Following negotiations with the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth Governments, a 9d. air-mail rate was introduced in November for letters not exceeding half an ounce in weight addressed to members of the armed forces overseas, subject to the condition that such letters are despatched by the Empire (including trans-Tasman) air service. In February, the concession was extended to include air-mail letters addressed to members of the British merchant service overseas. The usual fee for the redirection of parcels has been waived in respect of those addressed to members of the armed forces redirected within the Dominion or to an overseas destination. INLAND MAIL-SERVICES. Contracts covering the performance of inland mail-services in the South Island expired on the 31st December last, and the services were relet for a further term of three years as from the Ist January, 1941. The number of rural boxholders continues to increase. At the end of March, there were 33,383 boxholders, representing an increase of 897 compared with the number as at the 31st March, 1940. OCEAN MAIL-SERVICES. Notwithstanding the disturbed conditions occasioned by the war, frequent mail exchanges were made throughout the year with Great Britain, Australia, the United States of America, and other overseas countries. A small mail for the Middle East and a few mails for Great Britain were lost in transit through enemy action. It was particularly unfortunate that among the mails lost was a large portion of the Christmas postings both from New Zealand to the United Kingdom and from the United Kingdom to this country. AIR MAILS. Inland. The volume of correspondence despatched by the inland air services showed a steady increase during the year. This can be attributed to two main factors —the operation, since November, of the Auckland-Wellington-Dunedin service on the basis of five trips weekly instead of thrice weekly, and the decision of Government that correspondence for despatch by air on the trans-Tasman or transPacific air services be given air transmission on the inland services when there would be acceleration in transit time. For the twelve months ended 31st March, 1941, the weight of letters carried on the inland air services was 44,645 lb. In addition, 5,688 parcels were conveyed by the services. Empire Air Service. Increasing use was made during the year of the Empire air service. Unfortunately, the Egypt - United Kingdom section was suspended on the 10th June, 1940, following the outbreak of hostilities with Italy. To maintain a connection with the United Kingdom, arrangements were, however, later made to despatch mails by air via Egypt to Capetown and thence by sea to the United Kingdom. So far as New Zealand is concerned, the Empire air service is used principally for the forwarding of correspondence to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Middle East. With a cheap rate in operation for letters sent by this service to members of the armed forces overseas, the volume of such correspondence increased rapidly. During the year approximately one million letters were despatched to the New Zealand Base Post-office. The service provided a regular and rapid means of communication, the transit time for air mails to and from the Middle East averaging approximately twelve days,

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Trans-Tasman Air Service. The direct linking of New Zealand by air with the Australia-England service on the 30th April was an event of outstanding importance' in the history of trans-Tasnian communications. The schedule provided initially for a weekly service, but in order to effect connection with the trans-Pacific (fortnightly) service arrangements were made later for an additional flight during the week in which the Pan-American flying-boat arrives at Auckland, the object being to provide good Australian connections with the trans-Pacific service. The trans-Tasman has proved a most valuable service, particularly in view of the concentration of New Zealand Forces in the Middle East. For the eleven months ended the 31st March, 34,464 lb. of New Zealand mail was despatched by the service, while 31,5601b. of mail for New Zealand was received. The average weight of mail carried on each trip was 600 lb. Trans-Pacific Air Service. The first regular flight in the Pan-American air service connecting Auckland with San Francisco via Noumea, Canton Island, and Hawaii took place on the 20th July. This service, which provides for a fortnightly connection from Auckland, is now an important link in the Dominion's air communication system with overseas countries. After the suspension of the Egypt - United Kingdom section of the Empire air service, the PanAmerican service provided the only means of rapid air-mail communication between Now Zealand and the Mother-country. The normal transit time from New Zealand to the United Kingdom by this service is approximately fourteen days, but owing to exceptional conditions on the North Atlantic section this time was occasionally exceeded during the period November to January, inclusive. The postage rates on correspondence for despatch by the Pan-American service are, for each halfounce : New Caledonia, Is.; Canton Island, Is. 9d. ; Hawaii, 2s. 6d. ; United States of America, 45.; United Kingdom, ss. 9d. For the period July to March the total mail despatched was 8,619 lb. and the total mail received was 9,001 lb. CORRESPONDENCE FOR PRISONERS OF WAR INTERNED ABROAD. Every effort is made to facilitate the despatch of correspondence for prisoners of war interned in Germany, Italy, and other European countries. This correspondence is forwarded to the United Kingdom, whence, apparently, it is despatched through Lisbon and Geneva. As yet no channel is available by way of the Middle East. Correspondence for a British prisoner of war must be addressed to show his service number, rank, name and initials, the fact that he is a British prisoner of war, and the name of the camp and the country in which he is interned ; but a difficulty that is frequently encountered by next-of-kin and others desirous of communicating with him is that his proper address is not always available until some time after he has been taken prisoner. Correspondence for prisoners of war is, under an international arrangement, carried by surface routes postage-free. POSTAGE-STAMPS, ETC. Social Security Stamps. A 3s. social security stamp was issued during the year. Duty Stamps. Duty stamps (coat-of-arms type) were issued in June in the following additional values : 3s. 6d., ss. 6d., lis., and 225. Each new stamp was overprinted with the value in large black type. Islands Stamps. The introduction of the " all-up " Empire air service created a demand for l|d. stamps of the Cook Islands, Niue, and Western Samoa. Stamps of that denomination were therefore ordered, but by the time they arrived in New Zealand, the air-mail rates had been increased following the outbreak of war. As there was no 3d. stamp in the current islands issues, it was decided to overprint the l|d. stamp " 3d.," and these stamps were placed on sale on the 2nd September. The stamps were printed by Messrs. Bradbury, Wilkinson, and Co., England, and overprinted at the Government Printing Office, Wellington. Health Stamps. Health stamps for 1940-41 were issued in two denominations —l£d. and 3d. (Id. for postage and £d. for " health," and 2d. for postage and Id. for " health "). The stamps, which were of the same design as those issued in 1939-40, were placed on sale on the Ist October and they were withdrawn on the 28th February. On this occasion the colour of the 3d. health stamp was changed from orange to light brown. Stamps to the value of £5,470 were sold, and one-third of that amount, representing the " health " value, together with donations amounting to £3,191, was paid to the several Health Camp Committees.

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Postal Stationery. Newspaper wrappers impressed with fd. postage from new stereos were issued in July. New-Zealand-made paper without a watermark was used. New stereos, which were prepared at the Government Printing Office, Wellington, have been used for impressing letter-cards and registered-letter envelopes. A cameo die of the |d. denomination, which was prepared by Messrs. Waterlow and Sons, Ltd., England, was altered to 2d. by Messrs. W. R. Bock and Son, Ltd., Wellington, and used for embossing envelopes. Particulars of the new stationery issued are as follows : —

Stamp Booklets. When the present stocks of booklets of the King George VI and Id. and lfd. stamps are exhausted, they will not be replenished in the meantime. REGULATIONS UNDER ADHESIVE STAMPS ACT, 1939. Regulations under the Adhesive Stamps Act, 1939, which vests in the Post Office the authority for the creation, custody, and disposition of adhesive stamps, were issued in September. Among the matters covered by the regulations are the custody of dies and printing instruments, the custody and issue of stamp paper, the distribution of stamps, and licenses to deal in stamps. DEAD-LETTER OFFICE. Particulars of the correspondence dealt with in the Dead-letter Office during the year, in comparison with that handled in the previous year, are as follows : — 1940. 1939. Letters returned to senders in New Zealand .. .. 4-70,308* 518,852f Other articles returned to senders in New Zealand .. 375,513 378,294 Letters returned to other Administrations .. .. 39,315{ 52,052§ Other articles returned to other Administrations .. 45,193 50,211 Letters destroyed (senders unknown and contents of no value).. .. .. .. .. .. 26,548 31,635 Letters intercepted addressed to persons and firms on prohibited list .. .. .. .. .. 35 103 The proportion of undelivered letters to the total number of letters delivered was 0-37 per cent.

* Including 25,261 registered. f Including 19,084 registered. { Including 550 registered. § Including 646 registered.

MONEY-ORDERS. Money-orders issued during the year numbered 812,667, of a value of £4,435,007. This represents a decrease compared with the previous year of 98,817 in number and £659,357 in value. POSTAL NOTES. Postal-note business decreased, the sales being 2,558,916 notes, of a value of £1,020,630, compared with 3,374,852 notes, of a value of £1,323,397, during the previous year. The commission totalled £35,047 os. 10d., a decrease of £2,868 4s. lid. on the commission earned in 1939-40. BRITISH POSTAL ORDERS. Sales of British postal orders decreased in number and amount, 55,844 orders, of a value of £17,748 6s. 3d., being sold, as against 93,415, of a value of £37,931 3s. 9d., during the previous year. There was a decrease also in the number and amount of British postal orders paid, 12,389 orders, of a value of £6,034 Is., being cashed. In the previous year, 18,754 orders, of a value of £8,227 Is. 6d., were paid. SAVINGS-BANK. Deposits lodged in the Post Office Savings-bank during the year amounted to £28,607,222 and the withdrawals to £25,319,146, an excess of deposits of £3,288,076. The interest credited to depositors was £1,666,709 13s. 4d., and the amount at the credit of depositors at the end of the year was £62,956,787.

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Type. Stamp; Colour. Date of Issue. Letter-card . . King George VI, 2d. stereo Orange . . December, 1940. Embossed envelope .. King George VI, 2d. cameo.. Orange .. January, 1941. Registered envelope .. King George VI, 6d. stereo Red .. .. January, 1941.

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School Savings Branch. At the end of the year the school savings-bank scheme, the object of which is to encourage thrift among children, was in operation in 940 schools, an increase for the year of 35. The deposits amounted to £37,811 13s. 7d. and the withdrawals to £29,037 15s. Id., an excess of deposits of £8,773 18s. 6d. The total number of operative accounts at the 31st March was 77,906, the amount at credit being £89,902 4s. Bd. Interest to the amount of £1,820 16s. lOd. was credited to depositors. On leaving school, 3,763 depositors transferred their accounts to the Post Office Savings-bank. Savings-bank Letters of Credit. Letters of credit numbering 4,986 were issued during the year for an aggregate amount of £92,973 14s. POST OFFICE INVESTMENT CERTIFICATES. The total sales of Post Office investment certificates for the year amounted to £16,911. The sale of these certificates was discontinued in July, 1940. National Savings Bonds, a similar form of investment, are now being issued. NATIONAL SAVINGS BONDS. Sales of National Savings Bonds began in October, 1940. The bonds, which have a currency of five years, are issued at the nominal values of £1, £10, and £100, the selling-prices being 17s. 6d., £8 155., and £87 10s., respectively. The total sales up to the 31st March, 1941, amounted to £611,709. WORK PERFORMED FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS. There was a further substantial increase in the work performed by the Department on behalf of other Government Departments. The total sum handled in this respect during the year was approximately £95,000,000 an increase of about £20,000,000 on the previous year's total. Social Security Act, 1938 : Work performed by Post Office. The. Post Office receives on behalf of Treasury a large proportion of the moneys due under the Social Security Act, the receipts for the year amounting to £12,461,519, made up as follows : — £ (a) Registration fee .. .. .. .. .. .. 614,986 (b) Social security charge on income other than salary or wages . . 3,878,205 (c) Social security charge on salary or wages collected in cash .. 4,085,721 (id) Sales of social security stamps.. .. .. .. .. 3,882,607 £12,461,519 In addition to receiving moneys due, the Post Office disburses the amounts payable to approximately two-thirds of the persons receiving benefits under the Act, the remaining one-third being paid by officers of the Social Security Department. Military Allotment Warrants. Military allotment and dependants' allowance warrants to the number of 613,820 were paid by the Department during the year. Post Office Savings-bank accounts have been opened to receive the allotments of pay of those soldiers who have not made next-of-kin allotments. Registration of Motor-vehicles, and Associated Work. Motor-vehicles licensed at the 31st March last numbered 311,641, a decrease of 3,879, or 1-22 per cent., compared with the number licensed at the corresponding date in 1940. Registrations of motor-vehicles during the year totalled 15,551, a decrease of 14,219 compared with the number effected during the preceding twelve months. Notifications of change of ownership totalled 97,890, compared with 125,795 during the previous year —a decrease of 27,905, or 22-18 per cent. Approximately 12,000 duplicate certificates of the registration of motor-vehicles were dealt with. The total amount of motor-registration fees collected was £572,489, a decrease of £30,470 compared with the figure for the previous year. More detailed statistics concerning the work undertaken by the Post and Telegraph Department in connection with the registration and licensing of motor-vehicles appear in the report of the Transport Department. Premiums collected on behalf of the forty insurance companies authorized to underwrite business in terms of the Motor-vehicles Insurance (Third-party Risks) Act, 1928, totalled £452,531, a decrease of £6,189 compared with the amount collected during the preceding twelve months. A total of 60,102 claims for refunds of duty on motor-spirits were approved for payment during the year. The total amount refunded was £314,542 Is. 9d. Compared with the figures for the previous year, the claims increased in number by 8,613 and in amount by £108,198 15s. 4d. Mileage tax was collected in respect of 493 vehicles, as compared with 471 vehicles during the preceding year. The gross amount of mileage tax collected was £30,025, compared with £22,507 for the preceding twelve months.

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Rationing of Motor-spirits and Power Kerosene. The issuance of oil-fuel licenses and petrol coupons in terms of the Oil Fuel Emergency Regulations 1939 was continued during the year by Sub-district Oil Fuel Controllers (Postmasters). Most consumers of motor-spirits are now cognizant of the need for conserving supplies for essential purposes. The number of applications for increased licenses was lower than in the previous year, when the gallonages being made available to users were continuously under review. Apart from issuing licenses and coupons, officers visit pumpholders' stations from time to time to ascertain whether the provisions of the regulations arc being complied with. Records are kept at Sub-district Controllers' offices of the quantities of motor-spirits and power kerosene delivered monthly to each pumpholder by the oil companies, and action is taken to ensure that all supplies are satisfactorily accounted for to holders of either oil fuel licenses or petrol coupons. The Oil Fuel Regulations are administered by the Transport Department, and more detailed information of the rationing scheme will be found in the annual report of that Department. Impressment of Motor-vehicles for the Armed Services. In terms of the Motor-vehicles Impressment Emergency Regulations a considerable number of trucks, cars, and motor-cycles were impressed on behalf of the armed Services. The Director-General of the Post and Telegraph Department, in his capacity as Chief Impressment Officer, arranged for the serving of warrants of impressment on owners of vehicles selected by the Army Vehicle Committee. When delivering vehicles at the collecting centres the owners handed over the signed change-of-ownersliip forms, the relative certificates of registrations, and a declaration setting out fully the details of the vehicles. The impressment forms were subsequently forwarded to a Valuation Committee charged with the duty of assessing the values of all vehicles impressed. On being notified of the assessments, the Chief Impressment Officer despatched valuation notices to the vehicle-owners. In the case of unencumbered vehicles, cheques for the full amount of the official valuation were forwarded with the valuation notices. The cheques for encumbered vehicles were not despatched until agreement had been reached as to the amounts to be paid to each party concerned. TELEGRAPH AND TOLL SERVICES. TELEGRAPH TRAFFIC. The volume of telegraph business, in comparison with that for the previous year, declined slightly. The number of telegrams decreased by 5-4 per cent. (285,749 messages) and the revenue by 0-76 per cent. (£2,707). FREE CABLEGRAMS TO AND FROM CHILDREN EVACUATED FROM GREAT BRITAIN. To enable children evacuated from Great Britain to New Zealand under Government auspices to keep in touch with their parents by telegraph, a free cablegram service was introduced in October. One telegram a month is permitted, and the children have the choice of a large number of prearranged texts. The parents are afforded similar facilities for communicating with their children. This free service, which applies in all Empire countries to which children have been evacuated, is the outcome of negotiations initiated by Cable and Wireless, Ltd., and represents a substantial concession on the part of the company. CONCESSION-RATE TELEGRAMS TO AND FROM MEMBERS OF ARMED FORCES IN NE W ZEALAND. As from the 22nd July, a reduction was made in the charges for inland telegrams exchanged between members of the armed forces in New Zealand and their friends and relatives in the Dominion. The rate for such telegrams on week-days is Id. a word, with a minimum of 6d., no charge being made for the addresses. A corresponding reduction has been made in the charges on Sundays and holidays. TELEGRAMS TO NEW ZEALAND NAVAL PERSONNEL SERVING OVERSEAS. In conjunction with the Admiralty and the New Zealand Naval Board, arrangements have been made for telegrams on urgent private business to bo sent from next-of-kin in New Zealand to New Zealand personnel serving in His Majesty's ships overseas at a rate similar to that adopted for cablegrams to members of other branches of the fighting forces beyond the Dominion. Owing to the congestion on naval communication channels and to the fact that these channels must at all times be available for official purposes, the service is restricted to one message a month from each person. Negotiations arc ncaring completion for the introduction of a similar service in respect of messages of an urgent nature from naval personnel overseas to their next-of-kin in New Zealand. CURTAILMENT OF TELEGRAPH SERVICES. Owing to the drain upon the staff for war purposes and to the need for conserving the man-power available, it was found expedient to curtail the telegraph services to some extent. The observance of a telegraph attendance of from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at certain offices has been abolished, while at other offices the telegraph hours of attendance commence at 8.30 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. In addition, only telegrams paid for at " urgent " rates are delivered after 6 p.m. DECORATIVE TELEGRAM STATIONERY. With a view to conserving paper-supplies the Department has suspended for the duration of the war the provision of decorative stationery for telegrams of a " greetings " and " congratulatory " nature. As a result, the special cheap-rate service which over the last few years proved so popular with the public during the Christmas and New Year festive period was not available in December and January last.

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CABLEGRAMS TO AND FROM MEN ON ACTIVE SERVICE ABROAD. The arrangement under which cablegrams to members of His Majesty's Army and Air Force abroad are accepted at specially reduced rates has been extended to messages to and from the armed forces in Egypt and Canada. During the period 13th December to sth January, nearly 58,000 cablegrams to members of the forces were lodged in the Dominion. This unprecedented volume of traffic caused a certain amount of unavoidable delay in the despatch of some of the messages from New Zealand. MACHINE-PRINTING TELEGRAPHS. In pursuance of the Department's policy of providing up-to-date facilities for the handling of telegraphic traffic at post-offices established at military camps, a teleprinter service was established recently between the Waiouru Military Camp Post-office and Wellington. Machine-printing apparatus is now installed in thirty-three of the Department's telegraph offices. AIR FORCE RECRUITS: TRAINING TN MORSE TELEGRAPHY. At the request of the Air Department, the Post Office undertook, as from July last, the training of Air Force recruits in Morse telegraphy. The recruits are required to attain a speed of eight words a minute, sending and receiving, before entering training camps. At the commencement of the scheme night classes were opened at thirty-six towns, the total number of recruits being 1,248. By December the number had increased to 1,850, and at the end of the year classes affording tuition to over 3,000 recruits were being conducted in forty towns. The scheme has recently been extended to permit of the training of approximately 250 naval telegraphist ratings. In addition, training in Morse operating is provided for Air Force recruits in country districts by means of broadcasts each night from the National Broadcasting Stations 2YC, IZM, and 3YL. This instruction also is given by officers of the Department. MULTI-CHANNEL CARRIER-FREQUENCY TELEGRAPH SYSTEMS. The installation of the four-channel carrier-frequency telegraph system between Christchurch and Greymouth, referred to in last year's report, was completed in June, 1940. All the principal West Coast stations now have direct telegraphic outlets to Christchurch. TOLL CHARGES. An amended scale of basic rates for toll calls became operative on the Ist September. In the new scale the full rate for toll calls exceeding 40 miles increases by 2d. for each 10-mile step up to 110 miles, by 4d. for each 20-mile step between 110 miles and 150 miles, and by 2d. for each 20-mile step beyond 150 miles. In the previous scale the rate increased by Id. for each 5-mile step up to 100 miles, by 2d. for each 10-mile step between 100 miles and 150 miles, and by Id. for each 20-mile step beyond 150 miles. In addition, the quarter-rate schedule was amended by rounding up the basic charge for a three-minute call to the next (higher) Id. in cases in which the basic rate included a Jd. After-hour Toll Facilities. The ever-increasing popularity of the toll service is reflected in the demand for toll calls by non-subscribers after ordinary office hours. The demand has been met at the smaller offices, as far as practicable, by providing telephones near exchange entrances, where callers can be attended to by the exchange staff. At the larger places and also at military camps, multi-coin machines are provided. Toll Concessions to Personnel at Military Camps and Air Force Stations. Commencing in May, 1940, uniformed personnel at military camps and Air Force stations^>/ere granted the concession of half-rates for toll calls effected from camp or Air Force post-offices during the normal full-rate period —i.e., between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. EXTENSION OF TOLL SYSTEMS. The demand for toll service has been well maintained during the year, and the establishment of military camps and other Defence activities has necessitated the provision of improved and additional toll outlets in various parts of the Dominion. These increased facilities have been arranged principally by the establishment of the following carrier-current telephone systems : — Hamilton - New Plymouth .. .. .. One single-channel system. Hamilton-Ohakune .. .. .. . . One single-channel system. Ohakune - Palmerston North .. ■ .. .. One single-channel system. Waiouru Military Camp - Hamilton .. .. One single-channel system. Waiouru Military Camp - Palmerston North . . Two single channel systems. Wellington-Seddon . . . . .. .. One three-channel system. Christchurch - Hanmer Springs . . . . . . One single-channel system. Westport-Greymouth . . .. .. . . One single-channel system. Consequent on the installation of the additional Wellington-Seddon three-channel system, the number of direct telephone channels between Wellington and Christchurch was increased from seven to eight, while the allotment of direct toll outlets between Wellington and Blenheim was increased from three to four. In addition, better facilities have been provided between various centres by the erection, of new lines and/or the rearrangement of existing circuits.

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NEW ZEALAND SUBMARINE CABLES. COOK STRAIT CABLES. The three inter-Island Submarine cables which the Department now has in commission across Cook Strait —namely, the new-type single-core coaxial telephone cable, which was laid in 1936, the four-core telephone cable, which was laid in 1926, and one old-type single-core telegraph cable —have remained in good working-condition during the year. A twelve-channel carrier telephone system is on order to provide for the establishment of twelve additional telephone channels over the coaxial cable to meet expected traffic developments in the immediate future. When this new system has been installed the cable will be equipped to its full capacity. RADIO SERVICES. RADIO-TELEPHONE SERVICE FOR SMALL SHIPS. A radio-telephone service to and from small ships has been inaugurated on behalf of the Marine Department. The service commenced from Wellington Radio on the 16th March, 1941. The necessary equipment will shortly be installed at Musick Point and Awarua to enable the service to be extended to those stations. It is expected that wide use will be made of the new service and that eventually all small ships trading on the New Zealand coast will be equipped for radio-telephone communication with the shore. INSPECTION OF RADIO EQUIPMENT ON SHIPS. During the year, departmental Radio Inspectors made sixty-nine inspections of radio equipment installed on ships trading in New Zealand waters. RADIO BEACON AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS. Radio beacon and communication systems were installed on behalf of the Marine Department at the Mokohinau and Cuvier Islands lighthouses. RADIO EMERGENCY REGULATIONS 1940. With a view to establishing more effective control of certain wireless equipment, particularly diathermy apparatus, regulations entitled the Radio Emergency Regulations 1940 were issued in November. The new regulations make it obligatory for all persons who have diathermy apparatus under their control to obtain a license from the Department. Enemy aliens are not permitted to have diathermy apparatus in their possession. All assembled or partly-assembled privately-owned wireless transmitters, valves capable of an anode dissipation exceeding 10 watts, piezo-electric quartz plates, and piezo-electric tourmaline plates cut to oscillate at a given frequency have, with certain exceptions, been taken into custody. Such apparatus cannot now be purchased without a permit issued by the Department. TRANSMISSION OF PRESS NEWS FOR NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. To enable New Zealand troops in the Middle East to keep in touch with current events in the Dominion, special transmissions of Press news are made daily from Wellington Radio for reception in the Middle East. RADIO BROADCASTING. ELIMINATION OF RADIO INTERFERENCE. The number of complaints of radio interference received from listeners during the year was 2,080, a decrease of 646 on the figure for the previous year. RADIO LICENSES. The number of radio-receiving licenses continues to increase. At the 31st March the total for the Dominion was 355,480, an increase of 9,770, or 2-8 per cent., over the number in force a year ago. Radiodealers' licenses in force at the 31st March numbered 1,020. ALIEN EMERGENCY REGULATIONS 1940. Under the Alien Emergency Regulations 1940, the Department has sealed all receiving-apparatus in the hands of enemy aliens after steps had been taken to ensure that it was capable of reception only on the normal broadcasting frequencies —viz., between 550 and 1,500 kilocycles per second. TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE SERVICES. TELEPHONE DEVELOPMENT. Notwithstanding wartime conditions, telephone development continued at a satisfactory rate. During the year 16,788 new subscribers were connected and, after allowing for relinquishments, there was a net gain of 6,814 subscribers. The year ended with a total of 171,965 subscribers' main telephone stations, which is equal to an increase of 4-1 per cent, over the number of connections at the end of the previous year. Again the number of toll calls reached a new record, the number handled being 16,092,301, an increase of 380,630, or almost 2-5 per cent., over last year's figures,

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TELEPHONE EXCHANGES. A new telephone-exchange, with thirty-five subscribers, was opened at Parakao on the Ist May. At the end of the year the number of subscribers receiving service from this exchange was 50. With the establishment of the exchange the five subscribers connected with the nearby exchange at Kirikopuni transferred their connections to the new centre, and the Kirikopuni-exchange was closed on the sth June, 1940. As a result of the reticulation of the Hanmer Springs district for electric power during the year, the local private-telephone-line owners were faced with heavy expenditure in putting their lines in a condition to prevent induction from the high-tension lines. The Department therefore offered to replace the private-line system with departmental lines and to establish a telephone-exchange. This offer was accepted, and a telcphone-exchange was duly established at Hanmer Springs on the Ist August, with forty-seven subscribers. The number of exchanges now operating in the Dominion is 348. NEW AUTOMATIC-TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE EQUIPMENT. The whole of the equipment for the new automatic-telephone-exchange at Gisborne, which was ordered in October, 1938, has been received, and the installation work is nearing completion. It is expected that this exchange will be cut over to automatic working in July, 1941. Practically the whole of the automatic switching-equipment ordered in 1939 for exchanges in the Auckland metropolitan area has been delivered, and the comprehensive programme referred to in last year's report for the extension of the automatic switching-system in that area is being proceeded with as rapidly as possible. The first stage of this programme comprises the installation at the Auckland Central exchange of 1,000 lines of equipment, specially designed to deal with heavy traffic loads such as groups of business telephone connections, which will be cut into service in April, 1941, in replacement of temporarily arranged equipment, and the replacement of the existing switching apparatus in the Devonport and Onehunga exchanges by modern 7A2 type rotary equipment which will be brought into commission in June, 1941. Additional equipment comprising 200 individual lines has also been installed at the Mount Eden exchange ; and at all main exchanges in the area the old type frictiondriven registers have been replaced by 7A2 registers and link circuits. Concurrently with the cut-over of the new switching equipment, approximately 9,000 subscribers' telephone numbers will be changed in the Auckland exchange area. Additional switching-equipment was also provided during the year at a number of other automatic exchanges throughout the Dominion. At some exchanges, however, the additional equipment required to meet demands for telephone service cannot be made available, as the type of equipment involved has been procurable in the past solely from European manufacturers and alternative sources of supply have not yet been established. LOWER HUTT AUXILIARY MANUAL EXCHANGE. The demand for telephone service in the Lower Hutt exchange area has shown little diminution during the last twelve months, and the auxiliary manual switchboard which it was found necessary to provide in 1939 to cater for new subscribers has now been filled to capacity. Action has already been taken to extend the auxiliary exchange by the installation of an additional section of 200 lines which will enable the Department in the meantime to cope with further but limited telephone growth in the area. PUBLIC CALL OFFICES. During the year 65 new public call offices (coin-in-the-slot telephones) were brought into operation, bringing the Dominion total up to 1,240 installations. Actually, however, the net increase for the year was only 9 ; this was due to the fact that some 56 installations jirovided at the Centennial Exhibition and elsewhere were closed. Of the slot telephones in use, 1,175 are of the Id. type, 7of the 2d. type, and 58 of the 3d. type. The collections from the machines for the year amounted to £72,367, an increase of 9 • 2 per cent.

3—F. I.

17

F.—l.

APPENDIX.

Table No. 1. Receipts and Payments for the Years 1881-82, 1891-92, 1901-2, 1911-12, 1921-22, and following Years.

Table No. 2. Table showing the Number and Amount of Money-orders issued and of Money-orders payable in New Zealand since the Year 1863. Issued in the Dominion.

18

_ _ . _ Other Disbursements. Balance of r T>,l, nM , I Payments tor Receipts over Depreciation Fund rwwwinrm ! Payment to Tear - forward > Receipts. Working, Working- Investment, Cpi, t a n i interest on Consolidated Balance. f0rward ' i expenses. expenses including Expendi- Fund. Payments. tare on Renewals, oSfi I iabilltv and S 6 is~ benefit fS. LWbl " ty - 1881-1882 .. .. 234,529 233,291 1,238 .. .. .. .. * 1891-1892 .. .. 320,058 268,343 51,715 .. .. .. .. * 1901-1902 .. .. 488,573 465,756 22,817 .. .. .. .. * 1911-1912 .. .. 1,087,710 988,911 98,799 .. .. .. .. * 1921-1922 .. .. 2,811,535 2,451,571 359,964 .. .. .. .. f 1922-1923 .. .. 2,687,768 2,114,994 572,774 .. .. .. .. f 1923-1924 .. .. 2,688,954 2,120,584 568,370 .. .. .. .. f 1924-1925 .. .. 2,889,450 2,416,257 473,193 .. .. .. .. t 1925-1926 .. .. 3,100,396 2,409,556 690,840 .. .. .. .. f 1926-1927 .. .. 3,220,666 2,346,274 874,392 .. .. .. .. •(• 1927-1928 .. .. 3,329,511 2,299,571 1,029,940 .. .. .. .. f 1928-1929 .. .. 3,445,545 2,445,068 1,000,477 550,000 .. 428,000 .. 22,477} 1929-1930 .. 22,477 3,641,620 2,560,199 1,081,421 570,000 .. 481,000 .. 52,898 1930-1931 .. 52,898 3,707,420 2,642,400 1,065,020 558,248 .. 504,000 .. 55,670 1931-1932 .. 55,670 3,715,230 2,164,538 1,550,692 80,029 .. 550,000 941,616§ 34,717 1932-1933 .. 34,717 3,293,932 2,019,302 1,274,630 272,818 .. 546,000 456,000 34,529 1933-1934 .. 34,529 3,200,414 2,058,861 1,141,553 431,739 .. 553,000 154,388 36,955 1934-1935 .. 36,955 3,342,978 2,216,691 1,126,287 566,864 .. 546,000 13,000 37,378 1935-1936 .. 37,378 3,550,336 2,478,667 1,071,669 520,617 1,600|| 541,000 5,000 40,830 1936-1937 .. 40,830 3,886,098 2,868,486 1,017,612 442,274 5,665 566.000 3,298 41,205 1937-1938 .. 41,205 4,302,244 3,305,680 996,564 143,978 6,104 590,000 255,283 42,404 1938-1939 .. 42,405 4,687,564 3,679,859 1,007,705 415,189 6,310 588,000 Nil 40,611 1939-1940 .. 40,611 4,793,692 3,660,745 1,132,947 486,000 7,162 639,000 2,929 38,467 1940-1941 .. 38,467 5,106,193 3,615,902 1,490,291 788,280 6,720 665,000 30,000 38,758 * Revenue paid to Consolidated Fund. t Revenue paid to Consolidated Fund and utilized in payment of working-expenses, interest on loan capital, and reduction of capital liability. j Post Office Account separated from Consolidated Fund, 1st April, 1928. § Section 4, Finance Act, 1931, (No. 2), Depreciation rates revised and adjustment made in amount paid to Consolidated Fund. || Section 26, Finance Act, 1935 (No. 2).

Where payable. Com- I ~ r Total. Year, mission In the Dominion. United Kingdom.* foreign Oountries.t received. ' . No. Amount. No. | Amount. No. Amount. No. Amount, i No. Amount. £ £ £ £ £ £ 1863 1,057 2,201 9,614 4,740 21,944 4,645 24,145 .. .. 11,586 55,703 1873 3,562 34,288 142,642 11,913 48,548 6,150 28,068 .. .. 52,351 219,258 1883 9,023 132,232 402,559 26,211 91,634 14,113 46,940 .. .. 172,556 541,133 1893 10,249 146,133 576,359 29,616 86,545 35,208 88,025 .. .. 210,957 750,929 1903 15,882 273,535 1,108,067 63,309 157,790 59,468 150,368 .. .. 396,312 1,416,225 1913 16,872 516,536 2,821,624 100,634 336,992 73,575 199,158 .. 690,745 3,357 774 1923 28,357 545,605 3,849,423 54,461 223,143 68,044 284,778 16,869 32,815 684,979 4,390 159 1935 44,029 578,869 3,157,826 27,383 71,185 56,809 133,074 9,996 11,944 673,057 3 374*029 1936 48,433 633,846 3,552,632 30,608 79,747 59,269 151,708 1.0,243 10,561 733,966 3 794 648 1937 54,333 676,420 4,042,824 33,455 92,336 62,244 165,217 12,376 12,252 784,495 4,312'629 1938 60,441 731,346 4,501,244 35,642 102,005 68,072 184,508 12,990 14,536 848,050 4,802'293 1939 71,879 751,064 4,581,206 39,879 11.7,063 110,180 381,059 10,361 15,036 911,484 5 094 364 1940 44,885 751,509 4,277,861 19,332 51,670 37,376 97,032 4,450 8,444 812,667 4,435,007 * Includes foreign offices to year 11)13. 1' Included under United Kingdom to year 1918.

F.—l.

Table No. 2 —continued. Table showing the Number and Amount of Money-orders issued, etc.—continued.

Table No. 3. Table showing the Number and Weight of Parcels exchanged with other Countries during the Years 1939 and 1940.

19

Drawn on the Dominion. Where issued. j Total. year. In the Dominion. United CounS.f No. j Amount. No. Amount. | No. Amount. No. Amount. No. Amount. £ £ £ £ £ 1863 2,067 9,169 415 1,824 558 3,078 .. .. 3,040 14,071 1873 34,288 142,642 1,482 6,626 1,668 7,689 .. .. 37,438 156,957 1883 132,232 402,559 3,725 15,553 5,697 23,300 .. .. 141,654 441,412 1893 146,133 576,359 8,748 32,617 10,679 40,929 .. .. 165,558 649,905 1903 273,535 1,108,067 13,035 49,181 17,777 68,340 .. .. 304,347 1,225,589 1913 516,536 2,821.624 12,693 70,084 31,450 110,487 .. .. 560,679 3,002,194 i!)23 545,605 3,849,423 11,042 63,313 26,042 123,703 1,813 8,669 584,502 4,045,108 1935 568,379 3,167,590 9,485 49,628 34,566 70,964 3,460 13,195 615,890 3,301,377 1936 633,937 3,561,548 9,025 45,043 25,523 72,338 3,806 9,750 672,291 3,688,679 1937 678,018 4,053,369 8,824 44,434 25,509 73,755 3,204 8,647 715,555 4,180,205 1938 732,967 4,495,648 9,347 55,577 25,734 76,166 2,151 6,156 770,199 4,633,547 1939 751,096 4,593,723 7,317 32,233 22,852 57,196 2,822 6,637 784,087 4,689,789 1940 751,107 4,281,320 5,375 26,013 21,648 40,599 2,668 7,500 780,798 4,355,432 * Includes foreign offices to year 1913. t Included under United Kingdom to year 1913.

lleceived. Despatched. Places. 1939. J 1940. j 1939. 1940. Number. Weight. Number. Weight. Number. | Weight. Number. Weight. lb. lb. lb. lb. Great Britain and Northern 48,827 380,716 25,453 225,095 11,597 53,704 27,250 137,166 Ireland (and countries via London) New South Wales (including 28,186 127,704 22,838 98,645 11,934 39,795 12,088 39,593 Japan, &c.) Victoria .. .. .. 9,971 40,566 8,766 37,346 5,780 19,484 5,370 18,501 Queensland (including Papua 1,191 2,782 1,044 2,876 1,606 4,412 1,407 3,787 and Netherland East Indies) South Australia .. .. 814 2,448 745 2,350 791 2,523 664 2,059 Western Australia .. 562 1,448 789 1,880 686 1,820 616 1,485 Tasmania .. .. 140 340 162 367 551 1,475 623 1,608 Norfolk Island .. .. 18 49 .. 286 780 118 294 Canada .. .. .. 9,712 100,478 6,151 58,394 1,901 6,084 1,880 7,123 Union of South Africa .. 1,236 2,153 1,682 3,265 1,265 5,928 1,168 4,326 Aden .. .. .. 70 275 49 135 India .. .. .. 1,342 7,572 1,678 7,900 915 4,662 817 4,405 Ceylon .. .. .. J 97 733 287 917 58 260 47 155 Malaya .. .. .. 604 1,893 611 1,895 307 1,071 429 1,776 Hong Kong (including Japan, 1,099 12,404 602 4,867 586 2,981 403 1,935 China, &c.) Fiji .. .. .. 433 1,563 2,587 11,194 1,660 8,576 1,371 6,849 Tonga .. .. .. 172 511 171 555 737 4,488 609 3,615 United States of America and 28,446 158,762 19,568 109,089 3,684 13,193 2,839 9,522 possessions Egypt .. .. .. 266 2,441 5,338 12,121 51 170 98 357 Tahiti . . . . .. 51 308 15 52 87 372 88 415 Gilbert and El lice Islands .. 8 17 3 14 122 491 108 374 Pitcairn Island . . • ■ • • • ■ • ■ • • 115 568 86 486 Base Post-office, United King- .. .. * * .. .. 57,406 218,896 dom Base Post-office, Middle East .. .. * * .. .. 149,795 569,878 Base Post-office, Fiji .. .. .. * * .. .. 5,574 22,623 Other countries with which 4 3 34 113 31 109 12 38 direct exchanges exist Totals .. .. 133,349 845,166 98,573 579,070 44,750 172,946 270,864 1,057,266 Noth.--With the countries named above, excepting those in parentheses, New Zealand has direct parce exchanges. Parcels to and from other countries arc forwarded through the intermediary of direct-exchange countries. * Figures not available.

F.—l

Table No. 4. POST OFFICE SAVINGS-BANK.— GENERAL STATEMENT. Table showing the Business of the Post Office Savings-bank in the various Postal Districts of New Zealand during the Year ended 31st March, 1941.

20

| £ g © "3*3 A veraffp "NTnmhpr Average goo-g Number Araonnt Number Average Number Number x * u ™ Der Total Amount Amount of TAt«i imnnnf ftf pa „h of Amount Excess of Excess of of of . , a standing to the standing to fl Deposits nf n*»rmai+ With- Total Amount of of each Deposits over Withdrawals Interest Accounts Accounts Credit of all the Credit Postal Districts. received drawals Withdrawals Withdrawal Withdrawals over Deposits for the opened closed Open Accounts, of each during SSncr during during the Period. during during during Period. during during inclusive of Open Acthe the the the Period. the Period. the the L Interest to the count at Period. Period. Period. Period. Period. Close of the Period. Close of § Period. Period. the Period. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Auckland .. .. 202 295,987 5,424,175 4 1 18 6 6 259,177 4,638,730 6 4 17 18 0 785,444 17 9 .. 291,396 4 9 20,142 14,750 167,701 11,165,101 4 3 66 11 7 Blenheim .. .. 18 16,416 258,723 13 2 15 15 2 14,594 251,600 3 1 17 4 10 7,123 la 1 .. 19,368 2 9 1,204 903 11,446 706,038 7 9 61 13 9 Christchurch.. .. 80 228,254 4,093,024 7 1 17 18 8 213,900 3,706.466 19 6 17 6 7 386,557 7 7 .. 264,230 8 5 12,088 10,119 138,180 9,862,722 1 61 71 7 6 Dunedin .. .. 83 100,317 1,974,838 14 10 19 13 9 95,101 1,822,504 10 9 19 3 3 152,334 4 1 .. 137,482 19 9 6,131 5,723 70,606 5,074 024 I 5 7117 3 Gisborne •• 27 32,934 528,446 1 2 16 0 11 27,775] 493,314 9 11 17 15 3 35,131 11 3 .. 34,970 16 5 2,090 1,960 23.949 1,306,800 9 9 54 11 4 Greymouth .. 29 18,121 294,120 1 4 16 4 7 15,648 328,986 11 7 21 0 6 .. 34,866 10 3 26,318 4 1 1,350 1,423 15,363 936.997 18 3 60 19 10 Hamilton .. .. 99 113,927 1,936,139 5 4 17 0 0 91,68o| 1,654,869 18 3 18 1 0 281,269 7 1 .. 98,907 13 10 9,069 6,872 73,454 3.821,618 9 0 52 0 7 Invercargill .. .. 45 30,741 523,110 0 0 17 0 4 26,514 512,864 14 6 19 6 11 10,245 5 6 .. 44,182 8 8 2,361 2,229 31.640; 1.611,116 17 51 50 18 5 Napier .. .. 44 69,552 1,220,436 11 11 17 11 0 65,538 1,133,081 7 0 17 5 9 87,355 4 11 .. 74,005 5 2 4,217 3,981 46,141 2,769,286 16 7 60 0 4 Nelson .. .. 35 29,667 551,667 19 8 18 11 11 26,211 492,418 9 9 18 15 9 59,249 9 11 .. 34,137 6 6 1,826 1,494 20,545 1,266,436 2 11 61 12 11 New Plymouth .. 38 51,611 981,208 8 7 19 0 3 39,292 860,783 5 9 21 18 2 120,425 2 10 .. 57,320 12 0 3,539 3.183 35,893 2,183,476 18 0 60 16 8 Oamaru .. .. 12 14,004 318,39a 3 1 22 14 9 13,988 283,556 7 1 20 5 5 34,838 16 0 .. 22,488 15 0 881 797 11,170 832,549 10 4j 74 10 9 Palmeiston North .. 39 82,062 1,480.041 6 0 18 0 9 69,720 1,328,382 18 0 19 1 1 151,658 8 0 .. 86,230 17 6 5,153 4,107 48,402 3,270,149 15 4! 67 11 3 Thames .. .. 38 38,236 683,335 15 2 17 17 5 30,736 609,271 7 5 19 16 5 74,064 7 9 .. 39.740 1 10 3,248 2,786 30.486 1,507,433 8 10 49 9 0 Timaru .. .. 18 35,124 729,317 9 0 20 15 4 32,822 704,079 5 0 21 9 0 25,238 4 0 .. 51,616 8 8 2,140 1,876 26,436 1,896.616 1 8 71 14 11 Wanganui .. .. 41 55,951 947,993 10 2 16 18 10 46,163 832,332 7 10 18 0 7 115,661 2 4 .. 60,816 1 5 4,008 3,449 37,301 2,297,406 7 11 61 11 10 Wellington .. .. 64 551,708 6,503,074 7 9 11 15 9 369,840 5,504,279 14 9 14 17 8 998.794 13 0 .. 311,191 14 6 42,744 24,381 192,851 12,005,581 4 4 62 5 1 Westport .. .. 19 6,925 112,752 16 0 16 5 8 5,497 122,673 5 6 22 6 4 .. 9,9.20 9 6 9,616 16 11 506! 616 6,249 342,425 10 6 54 16 0 Western Samoa .. 2 2,336 28,673 2 2 12 5 6 3,059 24,198 14 10 7 18 3 4.474 7 4 .. 1,756 12 3 251; 196 2,850 67,734 3 6 23 15 4 i Rarotonga .. .. 6 1.502 17,748 7 8 11 16 4 2,160 14,751 14 11 6 16 7 2,996 12 9 .. 932 2 11 201 771 2,129 33,272 7 9 15 12 7 i !. Totals for vear ended 939 1,775,375 28,607,222 7 2 16 2 31,449,415 25,319,146 11 9 17 9 5 3.288.075 15 5 .. il.666, 709 13 4123,149 90,922 992,792 62,956,787 17 0 63 8 3 31st March, 1941 ! •— Totals for year ended 939 1.675,164 25,151,287 0 5 15 0 31,605,580 29,462,838 2 7 18 7 0 .. 4,311,551 2 21,603.466 13 5106,396 92,653 960,565 58,002,002 8 3 60 7 8 31st March, 1940

p.—l.

Table No. 5. POST OFFICE SAVINGS-BANK.— GENERAL STATEMENT. Table showing the Business of the Post Office Savings-bank in New Zealand, by Ten-year Periods, from 1868 to the 31st December, 1928, and Yearly Periods from 1935 to the Year ended 31st March, 1941.

21

. vr v. Average TiHOH! hL„ Average . Number Number JNU ™ Der Total Amount Amount «f+v, Number of rrw„i , AmounCof Number Average vnoD „ f of of A rtnrt ,-,„*-c, standing to the standingto nm „ Deposits T °» eaoh of With- Total Amount of Am .°™! i ° lE j wftv.rtr.wnU Int .„. tf ., Accounts Accounts Credit of all the Credit Year. oSSSL received Deposit drawals Withdrawals each With- Deposits over Withdrawals Interest for op ened closed ™~ Open Accounts, of each Savings- , lr . rjnr , received during ,i.irino Hnrino th» y«„ drawal Withdrawals over Deposits the 1 ear. rtnrino rtnrinp mg open inolusive of Or>en ."AtS tbeYear - dS he ttS, d—g the Year. during the Year, during the Year. <« at Close I ~ 9 oL Account at Close Year. the Year. Year Tear of the close of the Tear . close 0 f at the Year. Year. the Year. t I j I | [ | ! i j , £ s. d.! £ s. d.; £ s. d. ; £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d.: £ s. d. Year ended 31st Mar., 939 ! 1,775, 37528,607,222 7 2- 16 2 3ll,449,415 25,319, 146 11 9 17 9 53,288,075 15 5; .. 1,666,709 13 4123,149 90.922 992,792 62,956,787 17 0, 63 8 3 1941 Year ended 31st Mar., 939 1,675,164 25,151,287 0 5 15 0 3 1.605,580 29,462,838 2 7 18 7 0 .. 4,311,551 2 21,603,466 13 5106,396 92,653 960,565 58,002,002 8 3 60 7 8 1940 Year ended 31st Mar., 933 2,104,936 30,434,291 15 5 14 9 2 1,694,692 34,597,708 6 4 20 8 4 .. 4,163,416 10 111,726,573 11 2118,865 92,848 946,822 60,710,086 17 0 64 2 4 1939 Year ended 31st Mar., 928 2,190,971133,041,081 14 3 15 1 7 1.622,34029, 629, 073 19 3118 5 33,412,007 15 0 .. 1,669,383 16 5128,927 88,979 920,805i63, 146, 929 16 9 ! 68 11 6 1938 Year ended 31st Mar., 912 1,940,436 30,676,969 3 6 15 16 21,493,58027,042,003 0 0 18 2 13,634,966 3 6 .. 1,514,219 16 11 119.339 79,153 880,857 58,065,538 5 4 65 18 5 1937 Year ended 31st Mar., 892 1,585,976 25,619,775 13 7 16 3 1 1,417,04023,533,596 7 2 16 12 22,086,179 6 5 .. 1,406,459 5 8 94,628 71,574 840,67152,916,352 4 11 62 18 11 1936 Year ended 31st Mar., 871 1,424,534 24,179,537 2 4 16 19 11,350,50220,946,562 0 3 15 2 9 3,232,975 2 1 .. 1,320,347 7 9 90,958 71,603 817,617 49,423,713 12 10 60 8 11 1935 Year ended 31st Mar., 870 1,570,493 27,611,066 5 1 17 11 71,274,906 30,584,997 14 4 23 19 10 .. 2,973,931 9 31,747,155 13 9 93,331 72,433 804,725 47,758,726 2 11 59 6 11 1928 Totals for 1918 .. 786 1,213,35318,101,104 18 1 14 18 4 727,72914,938,841 10 0 20 10 73,162,263 8 1 .. 1,059,471 17 8 76,869 53,015 590,205 33,418,125 4 9 56 12 5 1908 .. 593 706,101 9,674,075 4 0 13 14 0 484,672 9,417,820 10 3 19 8 8 256,254 13 9 .. 379,808 6 7 80,133 57,829 342,07712,159,293 18 1 35 10 11 1898 .. 409 281,749 3,279,611 7 5 11 12 10 196,764 3,194,893 16 7 16 4 9 84,717 10 10 .. 128,128 16 6 37,265 26,628 169,968 4,957,771 5 5 29 3 5 1888 .. 290 145,355 1,544,747 7 11 10 12 6 96,204 1,387,471 1 10 14 8 5 157,276 6 1 .. 78,080 6 0 21,307 16,543 84,488 2,048,441 10 9 24 4 10 1878 .. 147 69,908 762,084 12 0 10 18 0 42,746 742,053 14 3 17 7 2 20,030 17 9 .. 31,664 12 9 13,005 9,634 32,132 819,071 8 2 25 9 9 1868 .. 55 13,014 194,535 11 6 14 18 11 6,365 107,094 17 3 16 16 6 87,440 14 3 .. 4,880 7 3 3,282 1,186 4,252 163,518 15 7 38 9 1 ♦Totals from 1st Feb. to 46 6,977 96,372 7 10 13 16 3 1,919 26,415 18 9 13 15 3 69,956 9 1 .. 1,241 5 0 2,520 364 2,156 71,197 14 1 33 0 5 31st Dec., 1867 ! I I * The Post Office Savings-bank was established in the Dominion in February, 1867.

F.—l

Table No. 6. Table showing the Number of Paid Telegrams forwarded and the Revenue derived therefrom, the Number and Classification of Telephone- stations and the Revenue derived therefrom, the Number of Forwarded Toll Calls and the Revenue derived therefrom, and the Number of Radioreceiving Licenses.

22

Paid Telegraph Traffic. Telephone Service. Toll Service. j 118 Ordinary. ' Press. ! Service 1 Phones and Year ended 31st March, | ! Subscribers j Extension Revenue of Number of Total T^ h^ a Number. Percentage Stations 1 from Phones p "^ c ToU Telephone- p J. 000 of Value. Number. Hou ?£ hold3 Number. | Value. Number. Value. 1«> j V? Stati0nS " Stati0nS ' Population. Calls - eq^fp^ Telephoneoffices. £ £ £ £ 1900 .. .. 2,706,439 98,129 255,362 10,771 6,641 * 43,303 165+ * 344 7,150 9-0 197,292 5,483 1910 .. .. 5,387,575 171,710 418,942 21,979 22,244 4,469 144,298 312+ * 2.656 29,681 28-67 1.757,869 42,753 1920 .. .. 7,880,737 360,051 358,352 32,258 64,396 12,520 419,318 1,194+ * 2,613 80,723 65-27 6,718,526 211,911 1925 .. .. 6,336,103 341,107 461,875 63,601 94,371 16,916 867,218 6,119 380 2,311 120,097 87-26 8,612,412 344,393 4,702 * 1930 .. .. 6,318,644 328,795 580.867 76,809 126,763 25,635 1,206,714 6,140 679 2,106 161,323 108-37 11,404,175 482,571 53,407 * 1935 .. .. 3,685,859 226,162 490,070 53,962 121,841 28,663 1.190,773 5,869 796 2,001 159,170 102-06 9,862,627 448,563 152,808 44-5 1936 .. .. 4,102,168 237,370 463,842 51,405 127,056 30,598 1,252,964 6,041 870 2,000 166,565 105-85 11,436,054 499,825 192,265 55-7 1937 .. .. 259,237 459,556 53,833 135,853 33,838 1,338,958 5,965 917 2,026 178,599 112-52 13,143,171 562,544 241,308 68-4 1938 .. .. 5,003,761 267,382 449,876 52,993 145,370 37,689 1,458,042 5,912 1,021 2,027 192,019 119-67 14,480,207 637,807 285,007 77-6 1939 .. .. 5,249,282 | 284,912 462,805 56,575 155,038 42,001 1,557,327 6,071 1,103 2,003 206,216 126-92 15,566,998 695,731 317,523 84-2 1940 .. .. 4,859,882 298,304 389,690 55,081 162,508 45,883 1,633,191 6,243 1,231 2,004 217,869 132-69 15,711,671 786,143 345,710 89-3 1941 .. .. 4,620,631 294,885 343,192 57,721 169,224 49,446 1,710,387 6,441 1,240 1,995 228,346 139-70 16,092,301 886,635 355,480 91-8 * Figures not available. f Private-line figures not available.

F.—l

Table No. 7. Table showing the Estimated Number of Postal Articles posted and delivered in New Zealand during the Year ended 31st December, 1940.

Table No. 8. Table showing Cable and Radio-telegraph Business transacted during the Year ended 31st March, 1941, as compared with the Year ended 31st March, 1940. Cable Messages.

Radio-telegrams.

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (688 copies), £38 10s.

Authority: E. V. Patil, Government Printer, Wellington.—l94l.

Price 9d.\

i>3

Second-class t 11 T ii Matter Letters, Letter- ., /A , j j i 'eistered (Accounts, -r, , cards, and * < • i v n . ■, Parcels. a. j Articles. Circulars, Postcards. AT -Newspapers, Packets, &c.). Posted .. . . . . .. 142,043,133 2,704,104 108,535,834 4,784,494 Delivered .. .. ..149,303,986 2,633,072 117,410,930 4,526,262 Total .. .. .. j 291,347,119 5,337,176 225,946,764 9,310,756

International. Australian. Total. Forwarded. Received. Forwarded. Received. Year ended _ j Revenue | Revenue Revenue Revenue Revenue Number of I earned Number of earned Number of earned Number of earned Number of earned Messages, j by New | Messages, by New Messages, by New Messages, by New Messages, by New ! Zealand. Zealand. Zealand. Zealand. Zealand. £ i £ j £ £ I £ 31st March, 1941 .. 281,653 11,378 ! 220,914 10,289 100,605 ! 3,895 101,971 ! 4,239 705,143 29,801 31st March, 1940 .. 179,685 9,433 ! 155,242 ! 8,168 137,449 | 5,005 I 128,860 | 4,891 | 601,236 27,497 Press Messages (included in above totals). 31st March, 1941 .. 1,058 212 1 4,699' .512 3,144 [ 398 1 8,643; 990 1 17,544 2,112 31st March, 1940 .. 1,475 I 167 I 5,687 648 5,357: 717 7,641 896 | 20,160 2,428

Forwarded. Received. Total. Year ended Number Revenue. Number Revenue Number Revenue of earned by of earned by of earned by Messages. New Zealand. Messages. New Zealand. Messages. New Zealand. £ £ £ 31st March, 1941 .. .. 5,211 2,252 6,903 2,008 12,114 4,260 31st March, 1040 .. .. 8,843 3,113 15,694 2,717 24,537 5,830 I _j_ I ; I _J