F.—l

VII

Letters— 1898. 1897. Increase. Posted in the colony .. .. .. 82,465,875 30,260,204 Received from places outside the colony .. 2,271,441 2,012,719 34,737,316 32,272,923 2,464,393 Letter-cards— Posted in the colony .. .. .. 917,631 757,172 160,459 Post-cards — Posted in the colony .. .. .. 1,399,450 1,325,272 Received from places outside the colony .. 80,514 16,549 1,479,964 1,341,821 138,143 Books and pattern-packets— Posted in the colony .. .. ..14,340,131 12,351,443 Reoeived from plaoes outside the colony .. 2,277,970 2,276,389 16,618,101 14,627,832 1,990,269 Newspapers— Posted in the colony .. .. .. 10,872,459 10,177,089 Reoeived from places outside the colony .. 4,223,028 4,084,256 15,095,487 14,261,343 834,142 Purcftls Posted in the colony .. .. .. 177,559 173,856 Received from places outside the colony .. 27,044 23,698 204,603 197,554 7,049 The letters increased 7-64 ; books and pattern-packets, 13-61; newspapers, 5-85 ; parcels, 3-57; letter-cards, 21-19; post-cards, 10-30 per cent. The increase in 1897 was: Letters, 8-34; books, &c, 1566; newspapers, 7-91; parcels, 5-86; letter-cards, 15-72; post-cards, 8-93 per cent. The average number of letters posted per head of population was estimated to be 44-10, or 45-34 including letter-cards. The averages in 1897 were 41-93 and 42-98 respectively. The Post Office receipts for the year amounted to £300,475 13s. 6d. —an increase of £28,312 13s. 9d., or 10-4 per cent. The expenditure was £215,616 12s. Id., as against £197,355 6s. lid. for the previous year — an increase of £18,261 ss. 2d., or 9-25 per cent. There was therefore a balance of revenue over expenditure of £84,859 Is. sd. The estimated value of official (free) correspondence was £70,730. The gross earnings of the Post Office for the year were £371,205, and the credit balance £155,589. Work performed for other Departments. Customs duties amounting to £13,302 lis. 4d. were collected on articles received through the post from places beyond the colony, and £1,184 9s. 7d. on account of ordinary Customs work. The sum of £2,234 Bs. was collected from the sale of game-licenses. Premiums amounting to £30,412 os. 2d. were collected from policyholders on behalf of the Government Life Insurance Department. £451 Bs. sd. was collected for the Government Printer on the sale of Government publications. Income-tax amounting to £71,964 lis. Id., and land-tax for £207,154 95., were received at post-offices. Fees under the Live-stock Acts amounting to £20,244 6s. were collected. The sum of £3,684 12s. 6d, was received for machinery-fees.' The receipts from the sale of miners' licenses amounted to £1,265 3s. £20,415 was lodged at post-offices for investment in New Zealand Consols. Eeceipts on behalf of the Public Trust Office amounted to £264,378 18s. 7d., and payments to £263,587 ss. 7d., as compared with £302,358 6s. 7d. and £301,872 10s. 4d. the previous year. Eailway receipts amounting to £11,919 lis. 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 £2,143 18s. The Advances to Settlers Office receipts amounted to £345,645 145., and payments to £344,987 ss. Fees, &c, were also collected on account of the Audit Office, Hospitals and Charitable Aid, County Councils, Harbourmasters, Alcoholic Liquors Act, Arms Act, fishing licenses, Lunacy Department, Miners' Guides, public baths, Factories Act, Education Department, Justice Department, and the Treasury. The payments made by the Post Office on behalf of the Treasury were £474,440 16s. 7d, Gross Eeceipts and Payments. The gross receipts dealt with during the year were—Departmental, £11,949,906 12s. 7d.; on account of other departments, £1,525,968 17s. lid.: total, £13,475,875 10s. 6d., as compared with £10,512,411 lis. for the previous year. The payments were —Departmental, £11,983,900 13s. 7d.; on behalf of other departments—to individuals, £1,083,015 7s. 2d.; to Government accounts, £392,408 os. 3d.: a total of £13,459,324 Is., as against £10,458,886 Bs. sd. dealt with the former year. The gross receipts and payments were therefore £26,935,199 lis. 6d., as compared with £20,971,297 19s. 6d. for 1897. Letter-carriers' Deliveries. Deliveries by letter-carriers were established at: New Plymputh—Fitzroy, lying between Henui and Wawaikaiho Bridges; Wanganui—Patea, at 9 a.m. over whole borough, at 2.30 p.m. in principal business streets.