F.—l

VIII

Premiums amounting to £23,327 16s. 3d. were collected from policy-holders of the Government Insurance Department. Income-tax amounting to £46,156 17s. 9d., and land-tax amounting to £211,656 Os. lid., were received at post offices during the year The fees collected under the Live-stock Acts reached a total of £10,787 17s. Machinery fees amounting to £3,768 ss. were received. The receipts on behalf of the Public Trust Office amounted to £101,464 19s. 5d., and the payments to £103,906 6s. The fees collected for registration of births, deaths, and marriages amounted to £1,787 os. 3d. Fees were also collected for Hospitals, and Charitable Aid, under the Licensing Act, and for public baths, Miners' Guides, and oyster licenses , also property-tax. Payments on behalf of the Treasury were made to the extent of £349,542 12s. 2d. The facilities offered by the Post Office for the receipt of general fees, taxes, &c, not only admit of a great saving in the cost of collection, but afford (on account of the wide distribution of money-order offices) a maximum convenience to the public as well. The gross receipts for the year amounted to Departmental, £4,895,754 19s. Id.; on account of other departments, £759,330 17s. 5d.. total, £5,655,085 16s. 6d. The payments were Departmental, £4,873,143 7s. 3d , for other departments, to individual claimants, £453,448 18s. 2d., and to Government accounts, £301,267 ss. Bd. total, £5,627,859 lis. Id. The gross receipts and payments, therefore, amounted to £11,282,945 7s. 7d. Last year they totalled to £9,963,514 4s. Letter-carriers' deliveries were established—at Greytown North. Kaiapoi additional delivery at 2 p.m. Wellington thrice weekly in suburbs of Brooklyn, Happy Valley, and Ohiro Boad, Letter-carriers' deliveries were extended—at Blenheim town delivery extended in Bedwood and George Streets. Christchurch Waltham delivery extended to south end of Colombo Street. Nelson afternoon delivery extended to Maitai Bank. Thames to Kuranui and Tararu. The deliveries were altered—at Dunedin Leith Valley served by subsidised instead of permanent carrier, Wellington. Newtown and Kilbirnie served by two carriers on foot, instead of one on horseback. Twenty-three receiving-boxes were established—at Auckland, 1; Brooklyn, Wellington, 1, Cashmere Bay, Greymouth, 1, Christchurch, 4 , Featherston, 1, Feilding, 1; Greytown North, 1, Hastings, 1, Hunterville, 1, Invercargill, 1, Kuranui, Thames, 1, Marohema, Wanganui, 1, Marton, 1, New Plymouth, 1, Otaki, 1, Picton, 1, Tararu, Thames, 1, Timaru, 1, Wellington, 1, Wyndham, 1. Nine were closed—at Auckland, 1; Cashmere Bay, Greymouth, 1, Featherston, 1, Feilding, 1, Greytown North, 1; Invercargill, 1, Picton, 1, Timaru, 1, Wellington, 1. There were 323 pillar, wall, and lamp-post receiving-boxes at the end of the year 9,167,480 letters, 428,646 post-cards, 1,560,984 books, circulars, &c, and 2,344,040 newspapers were delivered by letter-carriers. Fifty-five post-offices were established, three reopened, and sixteen closed during the year, as under: — , Opened. Albert Road, New Plymouth. Merrijigs, Greymouth. Rongahere, Dunedin. Arundel (reopened), Timaru. Morrison's, Dunedin. Ruapekapeka, Auckland. Broomfield, Christchurch. Motu, Gisborne. Ruatangata East, Auckland. Brown's, Invercargill. Niagara, Invercargill. St. Helier's, Auckland. Clifden, Invercargill. Nikau, Wellington. Seadown, Timaru. Coonoor, Wellington. Oruoru, Auckland. Taipa, Auckland. Eskdale, Napier. Orowai, Invercargill. Tawataia, Wellington. Glen Murray, Auckland. Otapiri Gorge, Invercargill. Te Moana, Timaru. Greenfield, Dunedin. Oue, Auckland. The Peaks, Christchurch. Haekthorne, Christchurch. Pakawau, Nelson. Three-log Whare, Wanganui. Hauiti, Gisborne. Pakihikura, Wellington. Upper Mangawhero, Wanganui. Hurleyville, Wanganui. Pepepe, Auckland. Upper Waitohi Plat, Timaru. Incholme, Oamaru. Pine Island, Auckland. Waikukupa, Hokitika. Islana Block, Duneain. Pleckville (reopened), Wellington. Waipiata, Duneain. Kiripaka, Auckland. Port Charles, Auckland. Wairakei, Auckland. Kopu, Thames. Port Pegasus (reopened), Inver- Waitahuna West, Dunedin. Lowrie's, Wanganui. oargill. Wakarara, Napier. Maharahara West, Napier. Poututu, Gisborne. Westerfield, Christchurch. Mangaonoho, Wanganui. Rangiwahia, Wellington. Whangarata, Auckland.. Matawhero (reopened), Gisborne. Riverside, Christchurch. Closed. Cameron's Terrace, Greymouth. Kaimata, Greymouth. Remuera, Auckland. Cashmere Bay, Greymouth. Kiwitea, Wellington. Rotoiti, Aucklana. Greenhithe, Auckland. Opaheke, Aucklana. Tararu, Thames. Kanohi, Aucklana. Pleckville, Wellington. Te Kao, Auckland. Kuranui, Thames. Port Pegasus, Invercargill. Tuhara, Napier. Mangamuka, Auckland. The total number of post-offices open at the close of the year was 1,305. The designations of offices were changed as follows Benmore (Invercargill) to Harrington's, Glendermid (Dunedin) to Sawyer's Bay, Lake Takapuna (Auckland) to Takapuna, Motuotaria (Napier) to Wanstead , Ornoru (Auckland) to Oruoru (correction), Otama Bridge (Invercargill) to

Otamita , Takaka East (Nelson) to East Takaka, Upper Mangawhero (Wanganui) to Aberfeldie, Waitemata Mills (Auckland) to Biverhead.