5

F.—l

In addition, 1 gold ring, 1 gold chain, 1 gold brooch, 1 gold cross, 1 pair of earrings set with jewels, 1 greenstone and gold brooch and earrings, 1 silver brooch, 1 gold horseshoe pin, 1 silver locket, 1 gold open-faced watch, 1 gold geneva watch, 1 silver lever hunting watch, 1 silver hunting watch with chain, 1 nugget of gold, and 6 rubies were received at the Dead Letter Office. 1,385 unclaimed registered letters were dealt with. 44 letters detained for postage were received, 9 of which were subsequently forwarded. 795 newspapers and 436 books and other articles without addresses were also received: of these, 97 were delivered. 87 letters were posted without addresses. 23 letters with obscene and libellous addresses were intercepted. 143 letters were imperfectly and wrongly addressed, 1,311 letters wero refused. 4 letters were posted with previously-used stamps. Registered Letters. The number of registered letters dealt with, compared with the numbers in 1880, 1881, and 1882, is shown below: —

Cloth-lined registered-letter envelopes of the sizes of 5£ inches by 3J inches, 6 inches by 3f inches, and 9 inches by 5 inches have been introduced. Buildings. There were but few buildings erected, and only absolutely necessary alterations and repairs were put in hand. The new building at Wellington, designed to accommodate the entire staff of the General Post Office as well as the staffs of the Chief Post Office and Telegraph branches, was completed on the 15th February last, and occupied on the sth April. The arrangements are in every respect found to be convenient for both the public and official requirements. New buildings were also completed and occupied at Greytown North, Manaia, Kihikihi, Te Aroha, Paeroa, and Ohinemutu. The latter office is erected in the township recently laid out by the Government. Additions, repairs, or alterations were effected at the following offices: Ashburton, Lyell, Greymouth, Kaitangata, Bussell, Tauranga, Thames, Bull's, Alexandra South, Drury, Charleston, Kumara, Port Ahuriri, Eeefton, Upper Hutt, Waiau, Waipukurau, Milton, and Kaikoura. New offices are in course of erection at the Port (Nelson), Oamaru, and Picton, and plans are being prepared for an office at Greymouth. Inland Mail Services. The inland mail services were performed with but few interruptions, and, on the whole, the contracts w 7ere carried out satisfactorily. The particulars of the several inland services in force during the year may be gathered from the following:— Performed by coach and mail-cart ... ... ... ... ... 131 „ on horseback ... ... ... ... ... ... 255 „ on foot ... ... ... ... ... ... 44 „ by water ... ... ... .... ... ... 30 „ by. railway ... ... ... ... „... ... 55 Total nvfmber of services ... ... ... ... 515 Aggregate mileage ... ... ... ... ... ... 8,794 Total number of miles travelled ... ... ... ... 3,014,985 Cost to the department ... ... ... ... ... £25,170 lis. 7d. Average cost per mile ... ... ... ... ... ... 2d. The total cost in 1882 was £24,808 18s. 6d., and the cost per mile ~. 2'oBd,

1880. 1881. 1682. 1883. Postal Districts. From •o M 4VlnfPq -Kegisv te- n Colony. C°l0^' Totals. From Places beyond the Colony. Registered in the Colony. Totals. From , P .„; a . Places 'te?ii\ n beyond , ter^ d e m Colony, j ™°»7Totals. From Places beyond the Colony. Registered in the Colony. Totals. Auckland.. rhames .. Sew Plymouth oisborne .. Napier Wanganui Wellington kelson iVestport.. 3-reymouth Sokitika .. Blenheim jhristehurch rimaru .. Damaru .. Dunedin .. [nvercargill 3,195 123 334 751 376 2,803 473 108 196 180 188 3,831 418 232 3,442 1,126 15,625 911 1,939 4,485 4,354 12,894 2,020 1,104 1,776 1,882 1,263 15,873 3,757 1,615 13,136 4,495 18,820 1,034 2,273 5,236 4,730 15,697 2,493 1,212 1,972 2,062 1,451 19,704 4,175 1,847 16,578 5,621 4,010 135 356 69 770 481 2,824 797 75 175 188 166 4,156 550 315 4,190 1,471 15,385 1,167 2,413 757 3,926 5,081 13,630 2,629 966 1,881 1,823 1,400 15,274 3,783 1,886 13,328 4,492 19,395 1,302 2,769 826 4,696 5,562 16,454 3,426 1,041 2,056 2,011 1,566 19,130 4,333 2,201 17,518 5,963 4,642 161 507 130 921 439 3,137 805 106 187 220 215 4,271 512 271 4,217 1,484 15,459 1,136 2,589 745 4,141 4,771 15,147 2,581 809 1,999 1,700 1,286 13,677 2,853 1,712 13,344 5,100 20,101 1,297 3,096 875 5,062 5,210 18,284 3,386 915 2,186 1,920 1,501 17,948 3,365 1,983 17,561 6,584 4,964 292 401 155 973 522 3,252 988 80 194 174 209 4,256 506 277 4,425 1,230 15,831 3,337 2,738 1,024 4,574 4,845 16,945 2,707 1,014 2,106 1,662 1,319 13,678 2,865 1,985 12,358 5,837 20,795 3,629 3,139 1,179 5,547 5,367 20,197 3,695 1,094 2,300 1,836 1,528 17,934 3,371 2,262 16,783 7,067 Totals 87,129 J104.905 20,728 89,821 110,549 22,225 89,049 111,274 22,898 94,825 17,776 117,72: