F.—l

XI

The declared value of parcels received from places outside the colony was £36,438 os. Id. The Customs duty collected amounted to £7,693 11s. 2d. In 1895 the declared value was £26,668 14s. 9d. The declared value of parcels despatched to places beyond the colony was £7,703 9s. 10d., as against £6,374 19s. lid. in 1895. The most notable alteration in connection with parcel-post exchanges has been the reduction of the rates to and from the United Kingdom from Is. 6d. for the first 2 lb. and 9d. for each succeeding lb. to Is. for the first lb. and 6d. for each succeeding lb. The reduction has only been in operation since the Ist January last, and its effect cannot as yet be accurately gauged. It is anticipated, however, that the number of received parcels from the United Kingdom will materially increase. Negotiations are now in progress for the establishing of a system under which, for a small fee, the senders of parcels from the United Kingdom to New Zealand and vice versa may, by guaranteeing the payment of Customs duty, &c, insure the free delivery of dutiable parcels. Under an agreement with Sydney, parcels are now exchanged with Canada by way of that office and Vancouver in lieu of London. Parcel exchanges, via London, have been extended to Paraguay, Venezuela, Cape Verd Islands, and the more important places in Portuguese West Africa. The maximum weight of parcels transmissible to Sweden, Portugal, Madeira, and Azores has been increased from 7 lb. to 111b. The rates of postage on parcels to the following countries, via London, have been reduced: Seychelles, Portugal, Madeira, Azores, Natal (for places other than Durban and the Point), Chili, and. Mexico. Negotiations for direct exchanges with the South African countries, via Melbourne, are almost completed. At present parcels are sent through London.

Official Correspondence The estimated volume and value of official and other free correspondence posted during the year is given in the statement below:—

Dead Letters. The following comparative table shows the number of unclaimed letters, letter-cards, and postcards dealt with during the under-mentioned years:—

The proportion of dead or unclaimed letters, letter-cards, and post-cards to the total number dealt with in the colony was 0-32 per cent. 43,662 book-packets and circulars were returned to foreign countries, 48,445 were returned to senders through the Dead-letter Office, 10 were reissued, and 26,986 were returned by Chief Postmasters : a total of 119,103 book-packets and circulars, as compared with 94,079 in 1895. 302 letters were wrongly addressed. 36 letters were discovered to have been posted with previously-used stamps.

District. Letters. Packets. Registered Articles. Newspapers. Value of Official Correspondence. Auckland .. Thames New Plymouth Gisborne .. Napier Wanganui Wellington Nelson Westport .. Greymouth Hokitika .. Blenheim .. Christchureh Timaru 551,317 58,695 95,706 30,277 129,480 157,248 907,751 63,128 22,867 42,991 19,643 45,851 359,021 63,141 31,603 368,875 145,873 41,999 4,471 7,291 2,306 9,864 11,979 332,900 4,809 1,732 3,268 1,492 3,483 27,316 4,811 2,466 28,108 11,113 18,842 4,016 3,499 1,101 7,681 5,163 20,158 2,451 2,043 2,626 1,259 1,455 15,026 1,749 1,143 11,091 5,737 229,546 21,086 31,781 8,992 56,097 44,710 440,347 17,100 12,982 22,273 10,345 13,833 209,674 17,687 12,831 178,526 64,274 £ 14,535 1,546 2,532 791 3,400 4,142 23,953 1,662 607 1,134 501 1,213 10,091 1,670 844 9,137 3,851 Oamaru .. Dunedin .. Invereargill Totals 3,093,467 499,408 105,040 1,392,084 £81,609 The estimated value for 1895 was £65,348

Manner of Disposal. 1884. 1885. 1886. 1887. 1888. 1889. 1890. 1892. 1894. 1895. 1896. •pened and returned to the writers .. 68,942 Returned unopened to j other countries .. ; 9,134 teissued .. .. 107 )estroyed .. .. 3,986 Returned unopened by Chief Postmasters .. 17,593 Totals .. 99,762 66,592 8,115 185 2,872 66,729 8,359 251 6,600 62,847i 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 63,483 61,745 61,065 7,751 8,941 J 12,929 128 130 ! 199 2,092 4,725 3,617 19,909 J 22,042 25,980 i i I 63,112 7,546 148 4,069 19,187 21,144 20,185 19,963 21,164 21,931 26,414 96,951 103,083 1 96,389; 93,363! 97,583 87,307 94,470 93,051 103,790 101,289