F.—l

IX

Registered Letters. The number of registered letters dealt with in 1892, compared with the numbers in 1885, 1890, and 1891, is shown below: —

Dead Letters. The number of unclaimed letters received and disposed of during the under-mentioned years is shown in the following table: —

The unclaimed letters dealt with show an increase of 5-93 per cent., compared with the number disposed of the previous year. The proportion of dead or unclaimed letters to the total number of letters posted in the colony was 0-37 per cent. The number of missing-letter inquiries to the total number of letters posted was in the proportion of 1 to 18,541. 29,806 book-packets and circulars were returned to foreign countries, 30,866 were returned to the senders through the Dead Letter Office, 4 were reissued, and 17,367 were returned by Chief Postmasters: a total of 78,043 book-packets and circulars, against 61,767 in 1891. 935 newspapers were returned to the publishers. The under-mentioned articles of value were found in letters opened in the Dead Letter Office, and returned to the senders where practicable : — £ s. d. 170 post-office orders ... ... ... ... 438 2 2 30 bank drafts ... ... ... ... ... 3,034 9 6 131 cheques ... ... ... ... ... 904 0 10 2 dividend warrants ... ... ... ... 600 6 promissory notes ... ... ... ... 178 9 10 Postal-notes ... ... ... ... ... 40 6 0 Stamps ... ... ... ... ... 13 2 2 Bank-notes ... ... ... ... ... 109 0 0 Gold ... ... ... ... ... ... 15 0 0 Silver and copper ... ... ... ... 1127 Eepresenting a total of ... ... ...- £4,740 3 1 In addition, 4 silver watches, 1 silver watch and steel chain, 1 silver watch chain, 1 silver stop-watch, 1 ladies' waterbury watch, 1 greenstone brooch, 2 gold brooches, 1 pair gold earrings, 1 gold locket, 1 gold safety-pin with pearls, 2 gold rings, 1 silver needle-case, 1 silver thimble, 1 shell necklace, 1 pair gold-mounted spectacles, 1 silver locket, 1 gold watch-key were received. 1,003 unclaimed registered letters were dealt with.

ii—F. 1.

1885. 1890. 1891. 1892. Postal Districts. From Places beyond the Colony. Registered in the Colony. Totals. From Places beyond the Colony. Registered in the Colony. Totals. From Places beyond the Colony. Registered in the Colony. Totals. From Places beyond the Colony. Registered in the Colony. Totals. Auckland Thames .. New Plymouth Gisborne .. Napier Wanganui Wellington Nelson Westport .. Greymouth Hokitika .. Blenheim Ohristohuroh Timaru 5,890 205 675 108 892 283 4,757 559 45 125 173 181 3,717 440 316 5,645 1,614 22,124 2,879 2,876 922 5,4531 4,500 19,218 2,432 1,438[ 2,835 1,907 1,413 13,678 3,153 1,947 12,737 6,661 : 28,014 I 3,084 i 3,551 ! 1,030 i 0,345 i 4,783' ; 23,975 2,991 1,483 2,960 2,080 1,594 17,395 3,593 2,263 18,382 8,275 7,119 130 341 118 999 211 6,129 322 112 102 95 92 3,659 312 278 4,615 1,740 34,398 4,781 3,372 2,120 10,911 6,060 30,369 3,430 3,254 8,879 2,579 3,193 20,404 3,551 2,505 19,696 9,819 41,517 4,911 3,713 2,238 11,910 6,271 30,498 3,752 3,366 8,981 2,674 3,285 24,063 3,363 2,783 24,311 11,559 7,797 165 381 132 1,053 306 7,492 392 90 235 76 125 4,292 380 293 4,782 2,031 40,807 4,552 3,953 2,428 12,627 7,030 30,491 4,314 3,434 10,436 2,624 3,262 21,956 3,740 2,048 19,762 10,708 48,604 4,717 4,334 2,560 13,680 7,336 43,983 4,706 3,524 10,671 2,700 3,387 26,248 4,120 2,341 24,544 12,739 9,346 179 375 100 644 410 0,924 339 98 338 101 133 4,483 263 219 4,140 2,770 50,348 5,314 5,514 2,930 11,999 10,341 44,413 5,009 3,492 11,150 2,821 2,848 27,423 3,961 2,638 26,088 13,240 59,694 5,493 5,889 3,030 12,643 10,751 51,337 5,348 3,590 11,488 2,922 2,981 31,906 4,224 2,857 30,228 16,010 Oamaru .. Dunedin .. Invoroargill Totals 25,625 106,173: 131,798 26,374 169,321 195,695 30,022 x90,172 220,194 30,862 229,529 260,391

Manner oi Disposal. 1883. 1884. 1885. 1886. 1887. 1888. 1889. 1S90. 1801. 1802. I 60,245 63,483 Opened and returned to the writers Returned unopened to other countries Beissued Destroyed Eeturned unopened by Chief Postmasters .. 69,452 8,143 67 3,302 68,942 9,134 107 3,986 66,592 8,115 185 2,872 66,729 8,359 251 6,600 62,847 7,287 96 5,974 55,118 6,892 88 5,246 62,654 60,540 6,220 7,779 92 141 4,340 2,660 6,930 j 7,751 158 I 128 2,090 j 2,092 15,833 17,593 19,187 21,144 20,185 19,963 21,164 21,931 18,713 ; 19,909 Totals 96,797 99,762 j 96,951 103,083 J 96,389 87,307 94,470 93,051 88,136 j 93,363 I