F.—l

The estimated value of the official correspondence and Government telegrams was equal to 28 per cent, of the receipts. 21,501,937 letters were posted and 22,415,263 delivered—an increase of 475,100 and 1,140,867 respectively. 117,613 inland parcels were posted—an increase of 15,479. 1,961,161 telegrams, of all codes, were forwarded —an increase of 158,174. 176,427 money-orders, for £602,077 Is. lid., were issued, and 151,286 orders, for £547,308 9s. 3d. paid. 184,599 postal-notes, representing £69,461 19s. 7d., were sold—an increase of 13,713 notes for £4,248 ss. lid. Thirty-six offices were established, 3 re-opened, and 18 closed. The total number of post and telegraph or telephone offices at the end of 1890 was 1,212. A telephone exchange was established at Gore. The total number of exchanges at the end of the year was 15, connected with which there were 43 bureau offices. The number of telephone subscribers increased by 208. The total number of subscribers on the 31st March last was 2,592, and the subscriptions received for the year amounted to £19,252 4s. 3d. There were 632 inland mail services in operation, at a cost to the department of £26,174 7s. lOd. One hundred and eighty-six miles of telegraph line were erected, and at the close of the year there were 5,061 miles of line and 12,771 miles of wire. The expenditure out of loan on telegraph extension was £16,291 14s. The sum of £1,658,543 3s. sd. was deposited in the Post Office Savings Banks during the calendar year; £1,500,437 9s. sd. was withdrawn. The total sum at the credit of depositors on the 31st December last was £2,441,876 Bs. 7d. The letter rate to the United Kingdom was reduced to 2|-d. per half-ounce, except via Brindisi and Naples, which was reduced from Is. to 6d., and an exchange of twopenny post-cards established on the Ist January last. The following table and return give the number of offices and officers of all classes on the 31st December last: —

Comparative Return of Officebs of the Postal and Telegraph Depaetment for the Years 1890 and 1889. 1800. 1889. 1800. 1889. Postmaster-General .. .. .. 1 1 Sorters in Clearing-room .. .. 14 11 Superintendent .. .. .. .. 1 1 Storekeeper and Assistants ~ .. 5 3 Secretary .. .. .. .. 1 1 Chief Postmasters .. .. .. 16 16 Inspector of Post-offices .. .. .. 1 1 Postmasters and Officers in Charge on PerAssistant Inspector of Post-offices .. 1 1 manent Staff .. .. .. 261 260 Controller of Money-orders and Savings-banks ' Clerks and Cadets .. .. .. 227 203 and Accountant .. .. .. 1 1 Operators (including Cadets) .. .. 346 290 Telegraph Inspectors .. .. .. 8 8 Country Postmasters and Telephonists .. 935 912 Telegraph Sub-Inspectors .. ~3 3 Letter-carriers .. .. .. 113 104 Electrician .. .. *.. .. 1 1 Messengers (Post Office) .. .. 17 15 Mechanicians .. .. .. .. 3 3 Linemen .. .. .. .. 50 46 Clerks in General Post Office— Telegraph Message Boys .. .. 195 205 Secretary's Branch .. .. .. 7 7 Nightwatchmen .. .. 2 2 Dead-letter Branch .. .. .. 4 4 Money-order and Savings-bank Branch .. 17 16 'Totals .. .. 2,225 2,110

II

Postal Districts. Oi i O 5 5d v '3 H ane_ Lees. a o! <_-.■. 4_. t3 go r^^ .3 &> o El W ... o_---PhS — d Pt. ■§■2 O Country Postoffices. o a o & « EH "_ a q a. O mS oO o cn © © i O © o ft © 0Q <D HO a & & o m CD O o *3 M cS CD n © a o ft CD "® B Cli and ; Cai .rks Postal lets. Operators (including Cadets). I ■H -d E 3 °s ag =3 8 p Lettercarriers. p I o o EH O ©" o o n O r. U <D CD a © to © Teleg Mesi Bo [raptsage ys. a o «. o to CD O 10 o o Ph a & o &- a o i *-l l> 3 o o H I O a i o a s o o Auckland Thames Gisborne Napier New Plymouth Wanganui Wellington Blenheim Nelson Westport Greymouth Hokitika Christchuroh Timaru Oamaru Dunedin Invercargill 1 2 24 9 1 9 3 6 Hi 6i 4 5 4 3 12 5 1 21 9 18 149 19 11 26 17 21 56 16 23 12 23 30 97 28 6 69 64 77 8 9 15 5 9 19 3 11 8 5 3 12 5 1 12 40 3 24 8 5 22 13 42 38 11 _ 9 2 27 8 8 30 9 10 5 45 9 1 20 5 11 24 7 9 5 4 3 49 10 10 38 21 16 2 1 3 2 3 11 2 3 1 2 1 16 2 2 15 2 4 1 3 13 3 3 6 2 4 29 3 4 3 3 2 16 3 3 14 4 12 3 *M 1 1 'i 3 1 2 9 2 5 i 9 'i 1 1 1 3 'i l l l l -3 4 13 3 7 51 4 5 1 2 3 36 4 3 38 9 ■• s 8 2 6 15 1 4 1 1 4 1 1 'i 2 4 3 7 11 2 3 'l 'i 'i "g 2 1 6 3 3 4 1 *2 34 11 9 15 12 i l l l 2 3 "_ ' _ 3 12 2 1 10 6 1 'i 7 45 17 14 7 9 6 'I 1 1 1 2 2 "_ Total on 31st Dec, 1890 .. 5 133: 127 667 253 15 15 43 222 5 82 277 84 29 16 115 12 264 80