F.-l

VIII

The forwarded and received cable Press business for the past seven years has been:—

Note. —The intercolonial cable Press rate was reduced from 3d. to Id. per word on the Ist April, 1893. POST OFFICE. The number of articles posted in the colony, and received from places outside the colony, during 1897, as compared with the number in 1896, was as under : — Letters— 1897. 1896. Increase. Posted in the colony .. .. .. 30,260,204 27,874,353 Received from places outside the colony .. 2,012,719 1,913,410 32,272,923 29,787,763 - 2,485,160 Letter-cards posted in the colony .. .. 757,172 654,290 102,882 Post-cards — Posted in the colony .. .. .. 1,325,272 1,226,550 Received from places outside the colony .. 16,549 5,285 1,341,821 1,231,835 109,986 Books and pattorn-packets— Posted in the colony .. .. .. 12,351,443 10,048,597 Received from places outside the colony .. 2,276,389 2,598,674 14,627,832 12,647,271 1,980,561 Newspapers— Posted in the colony .. .. .. 10,177,089 9,521,525 Received from places outside the colony .. 4,084,256 3,694,996 14,261,845 13,216,521 1,044,824 Parcels — Posted in the colony .. .. .. 173,856 166,702 Received from places outside the colony .. 23,698 19,909 197,554 186,611 10,943 The letters increased 8 - 34, books and pattern-packets 1566, newspapers 791, parcels 586, letter-cards 1572, post-cards 8 # 93 per cent. The increase in 1896 was : Letters, 289; books, &c, 1660 ; newspapers, 4 - 27; parcels, 591; letter-cards, 2-71 ; and post-cards, 2-51 per cent. The average number of letters posted per head of population was estimated to be 41-93, or 42-98 including letter-cards. The averages in 1896 were 3943 and 4036.respectively. The Post Office receipts for the financial year amounted to £272,162 19s. 9d.—an increase of £9,680 14s. 3d., or 3-69 per cent. The expenditure was £197,355 6s. lid., as against £196,242 19s. Bd. for the previous year—an increase of £1,112 7s. 3d., or 056 per cent. There was therefore a balance of revenue over expenditure of £74,807 12s. 10d. The estimated value of official (free) correspondence was £72,521. The gross earnings of the Post Office for the year were £344,683 19s. 9d., and the credit balance £147,328 12s. 10d. Customs duties amounting to £9,567 12s. lid, were collected on articles received through the post from places beyond the colony, and £1,309 18s. 6d. on account of ordinary Customs work. The sum of £1,724 10s. was collected from the sale of game-licenses. Premiums amounting to £28,059 19s. 7d. were collected from policyholders on behalf of the Government Life Insurance Department. £331 7s. 9d. was collected for the Government Printer on the sale of Government publications. Income-tax amounting to £62,633 os. lid., and land-tax for £191,975 16s. lid., were received at post-offices. Fees under the Live-stock Acts amounting to £17,891 4s. 7d. were collected. The sum of £3,508 11s. was received for machinery-fees. The receipts from the sale of miners' licenses amounted to £1,380 6s. £9,815 was lodged at post-offices for investment in New Zealand Consols. Receipts on behalf of the Public Trust Office amounted to £302,358 6s. 7d, and payments to £301,872 10s. 4d., as compared with £205,731 11s. Bd. and £202,664 7s. the previous year. Railway receipts amounting to £15,338 Bs. lid. were also accounted for through the Post Office Account. The fees collected in respect of the registration of births, deaths, and marriages amounted to £2,053 6s. 6d.

Forwarded. Eeoeived. Year. Number of Number of Value Value. Messages. Words. Messages, j Words. 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 837 791 796 994 1,168 1,069 1,294 45,285 44,263 57,390 103,366 68,682 92,946 128,839 £ s. 932 15 898 3 504 9 899 4 433 13 531 4 945 4 a. 8 9 9 9 0 9 8 2,828 2,884 2,883 3,033 3,926 2,946 3,665 198,935 197,477 202,170 203,326 314,136 285,369 323,617 £ s. d. 2,739 6 0 2,796 9 4 1,540 17 10 1,179 13 7 1,782 13 5 1,576 1 3 1,752 7 5