F.—i

VII

Return showing the Number of Telegrams forwarded and the Revenue derived therefrom, in the several Postal Districts, for the Ten Months ended 31st March, 1897, as compared with the Corresponding Ten Months of the previous Financial Year.

The number and value of cable messages forwarded during 1896 are shown in the following statement: —

Statement of Teapfio over the New Zealand-Sydney Cable for the Year from the Ist May, 1896, to the 30th April, 1897, and Amounts payable by Guaranteeing Colonies. £ Amount guaranteed to Cable Company ... ... ... ... 20,000 Actual receipts during the above period ... ... ... ... 16,144 Showing a loss to the Cable Company of ... ... ... £3,856 Apportioned as follows : — New Zealand, one-third ... ... ... ... ... 1,285 Contributing colonies, including New Zealand, two-thirds ... ... 2,571 £3,856

Number of Telegrams forwarded. Revi mue. District. Increase Increase per Gent. 1895-96, 1896-97, Old Rates. New Rates. per Cent. 1895-96, Old Rates. 1896-97, New Rates. Auckland Blenheim Christchurch ... Dunedin Gisborne Greymouth Hokitika Invercargill Napier Nelson New Plymouth Oam aru Thames Tim aru Wanganui Wellington Westport 299,463 22,971 162,849 197,991 30,813 39,744 15,155 89,061 87,412 37,057 37,925 21,312 66,878 31,957 75,824 351,653 25,542 386,360 30,459 194,254 236,392 34,996 45,876 20,356 106,789 108,411 62,809 46,572 24,915 108,462 39,650 92,196 397,436 34,939 £ s. d. 15,002 10 2 1,249 5 94 9,108 11 24 9,970 13 74 1,719 3 4| 2,253 12 3| 862 4 9 3,944 3 1 4,873 4 3 1,719 8 0 2,024 1 2 1,364 2 1 3,603 10 64 1 1,904 5 6 4,064 7 0 13,466 14 8 1,331 17 11 £ s. d. 16,703 18 11 1,364 7 7 9,127 4 810,119 15 0J 1,690 7 l| 2,189 15 2 974 12 1J 4,124 12 4| 4,928 16 74 1,505 0 5 1,940 3 64 1,299 15 8 4,701 3 8 1,799 4 11 3,816 19 44 13,767 16 5| 1,503 12 8" Totals ... 1,593,607 1,970,872 23'67 :78,461 15 5 81,557 6 4 3-95

Ordi: iary. Prei ;s. Destination. No. of Messages. Value. No. of Messages. Value. International ... New Caledonia New South Wales Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia 9,814 27 19,590 1,135 1,046 1,543 12,393 1,688 £ S. 42,148 15 23 6 4,282 18 382 11 324 9 559 9 3,299 6 661 3 d. 1 2 1 7 9 0 0 5 £ s. d. 4 10 0 1 904 10 2 472 11 10 2 16 9 0 12 2 152 50 14 0 Total for 1896 47,236 51,681 19 1 1,069 531 4 9 Total for 1895 35,685 5 5 38,936 1,168 433 13 0