F.—l

XVII

The several subsidised mail sea services, the subsidy payments for the year 1896, the dates when established, and the date on which each terminates are shown as follows:—

MoNEY-OBDEBS. Sixteen money-order offices were opened during the year—namely, Alfredton, Alton, Apiti, Greendale, Hurleyville, Mangamahu, Okaihau, Pohangina, Poroti, St. Albans, Sefton, Springston,. Taueru, Upper Eiccarton, Weber, Whakataki. One office —Alford Forest —was closed. The number of offices open at the end of the year was 379, as against 364 in the previous year. 269,566 orders were issued for £902,159 15s. 7d., as compared with 243,497, for £812,604 14s. lid., in 1895—an increase of 26,069 in number and £89,555 os. Bd. 203,084 orders, amounting to £794,309 os. 6d., were paid, as against 183,995, for £709,533 10s. Bd., during 1895—an increase of 19,089 orders and £84,775 9s. 10d. The number of telegraph money-orders issued was 30,860, for £113,617 16s. 10d., as compared with 25,856, for £95,546 9s. 10d., in 1895—an increase of 5,004 orders and £18,071 7s. 88,061 orders, for £184,941 16s. 6d., were issued on the United Kingdom, Australian Colonies, and other places beyond New Zealand. 21,761 orders, for £76,389 11s. Bd., were issued at places beyond New Zealand for payment in the colony. The commission received for money-orders amounted to £12,671 6s. 7d., as compared with £11,433 13s. Bd. received in 1895. An arrangement has been made, which came into force on the Ist July last, for the transmission of telegraph money-orders to and from South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, and Western Australia, upon payment of the charge for a telegram of ten words in addition to the usual rate of commission on telegraph money-orders. A direct exchange of money-orders with Germany was arranged as from the Ist January, and a direct exchange with the Hawaiian Eepublic. Postal Notes. The sale of postal notes was extended to the following offices: Alton, Ashley-Clinton, Blackburn, Chasland's, Doyleston, Fairburn's, Greendale, Hamua, Hornby, Hurleyville, Kaihu, Kaiwaka, Manapouri, Mangamahu, Ngamatapouri, Okaihau, Okura, Poroti, Purangi, Purekireki, Bahotu,. Springston, Taueru, Waikino, Wakarara, .Weber, Whakataki. The offices at Kenepuru, Marohema, Tutaekara, Waihopo, and Waikawa were closed. The number of offices at which postal notes were sold at the end of the year was 440, as compared with 418 at the end of 1895-96. 376,796 notes, of the value of £129,011 18s., were sold, as against 349,627, of the value of £123,368 6s. 6d., during the previous year. The postal notes paid numbered 375,208, of the value of £128,655 18s. 6d., as compared with 346,510, for £122,538 14s. 6d.—an increase for the year of 28,698 in number and £6,117 4s. in value. The postal-note commission amounted to £2,563 18s. 3d. iii—F. 1.

Subsidy or Payment. Duration of Service. When terminated or terminable. Number of Voyages per Annum. Mileage for complete ■ Voyage. Cost per Mile. Service When established. Auckland and San Francisco Auckland and Fiji Auckland and South Pacific Islands Auckland and Devonport Auckland and Great Barrier Dargaville and Tangihua Helensville and Matakohe Helensville and Dargaville Horeke, Kohukohu, Rawene, Waitapu, and Opononi Russell and Opua Whangaroa and Totara North Wellington, Ketu Bay, Maud Island, Maori Bay, Hornewood, and Havelock Nelson, Motueka, Totaranui, Takaka, and Collingwood Westport and Karamea Westport and Little Wanganui Hokitika, Okarito, Bruce Bay, Paringa, Haast River, Okuru, Waitoto, and Jackson's Bay Lyttelton and Chatham Islands Bluff and Half-moon Bay Bluff, Te Oneroa and Cromarty Paterson's Inlet and Half-moon Bay Half-moon Bay and Port Pegasus .. Interprovincial service in connection with San Francisco line £ s. d. 7,622 19 4 1,690 0 0 1,200 0 0 60 0 0 250 0 0 75 0 0 April, 1871 Nov., 1897 June, 1880 June, 1885 ! Aug., 1863 \ Dec, 1899 Oct., 1891 : Dec, 1899 Nov., 1893 ! Dec, 1899 13 13 12 939 52 52 f 52 I 164 11,916 2,334 6,992 6 120 46 118 ) 170 J s. d. 0 11-81 1 1-37 0 3-43 0 2-56 0 9-62 0 7-53 I 480 0 0 I 194 10 0 Jan., 1881 j Dec, 1899 Jan., 1889 Dec, 1899 0 4-84 1 6-70 52 48 90 0 0 22 0 0 Jan., 1889 Dec, 1899 Jan., 1891 Dec, 1899 104 52 16 2 1 0-98 4 2'77 [ 150 0 0 I 125 0 0 Dec, 1891 Dec, 1899 26 183 0 7-57 Dec, 1899 52 130 0 4-44 I 275 0 0 1 500 0 0 ( June, 1886 Dec, 1899 j Jan., 1895 Dec, 1899 26 12 J 02 I 82 j 1 6-15 Jan., 1886 Dec, 1899 6 384 4 4-08 275 0 0 250 0 0 345 0 0 29 0 0 5 0 0 March, 1898 July, 1886 Dec , 1899 April, 1893 March, 1899 April, 1892 Dec, 1899 June, 1894 Nov., 1886 Nov., 1897 6 52 12 52 10 1,050 48 208 12 84 0 1048 2 0-04 2 9-17 0 11-15 0 1-43 1 3,000 0 0 i 13