F.-l.

As a result of this reduction, it is estimated that the number of inland parcels has increased in the three months to the 31st March by at least 84 per cent. The public, moreover, has by the change been induced to send by parcel-j/ost articles which were previously forwarded as packets. The following table shows tht number and weight of parcels posted during the years 1890, 1900, 1905, and 1906 :—

The following table shows the number and weight of parcels exchanged with the United Kingdom and the undermentioned places during the years 1905 and 1906: —

The declared value of parcels received from places outside the colony in 1906 was £219,108. The Customs duty collected amounted to £49,885 ss. Bd. The declared value of parcels despatched to places beyond the colony was £21,540, as against £20,610 in 1905. i j Demurrage is now charged at the rate of 1 per centum per diem on the declared value of a parcel containing jewellery or any article of gold or silver, or any precious stone, received from a place beyond New Zealand, after it has remained in the post-office fourteen days, excluding Sundays and holidays. A parcel (other than one containing jewellery, or any article of gold or silver, or any precious stone) received from a place beyond New Zealand, addressed to a post-office " to be called for," or for other reason required to lie at a post-office after it has remained in the office seven clear days (excluding Sundays and holidays) is charged demurrage at the rate of Id. per diem. No demurrage is, however, charged on a parcel addressed to a place at which there is no house-to-house delivery, or for a person on board ship.

XIV

Postal Districts. 1890. Number. Weight. 1900. 1905. Weight. Number. I Weight. 1906. Number. I Weight Number. Auckland Thames New Plymouth .. Gisborne Napier Wanganui Wellington Blenheim Nelson Westport Greymouth Hokitika Christchurch Timaru Oamaru Dunedin Invercargill .. i 21,882 .. : 1,491 1,007 938 .. I 6,265 4,035 .. ! 25,893 1,846 4,723 .. I 1,077 .. ! 2,509 .. : 1,413 .. I 19,383 .. : 2,013 859 .. 22,500 3,458 Lb. oz. 57,912 10 3,661 8 2,674 3 2,570 6 ' 17,075 14 9,563 8 74,544 2 4,357 11 13,370 7 2,332 4 6,243 13 3,924 5 58,708 4 4,774 8 2,123 3 65,329 13 | 7,477 5 40,287 2,989 3,038 2,022 8,848 ! 8,846 I 44,322 1,961 5,261 1,868 2,583 2,527 30,897 1,743 i' 1,149 I 34,411 6,661 Lb. oz. 122,449 9 9,094 4 9,615 9 5,771 15 28,142 15 28,206 10 160,737 4 5,976 4 16,916 4 4,645 15 7,711 4 9,173 5 118,206 3 5,294 1 4,162 7 125,419 10 20,617 0 Lb. oz. 68,037 224,620 14 4,263 : 12,467 13 5,299 ! 16,373 15 2,120 8,871 8 12,589 : 39,659 10 14,900 46,542 14 85,782 295,495 15$ 2,618 8,762 7 7,209 | 22,828 7 2,855 7,072 13 2,712 I 8,854 1 3,421 11,904 11 41,968 132,861 13 2,848 I 8,540 14 2,017 ; 6,163 13 47,362 182,306 2 7,617 21,573 10 76,913 4,422 5,569 3,075 14,384 16,122 98,480 2,795 7,380 2,852 4,151 3,530 49,511 3,341 1,851 49,751 8,082 Lb. oz. 260,576 14 12,263 11 16,803 0 10,100 7 44,267 1 52,085 9 316,010 8 9,775 10 22,278 2 7,782 10 10,692 0 12,206 10 178,269 13 9,291 11 6,130 11 186,478 12 24,575 9 Totals .. .. 121,292 336,643 12 ;i99,413 682,140 7 313,617 1,074,901 4J 352,209 1,209,588 10

Received. Despal iched. Country. 1905. 1906. Number. Weight. Number. Weight. 1905. Number. [ Weight. 1906. Number. Weight. United Kingdom and foreign countries (via London) United States of America .. Canada Victoria New South Wales South Australia Queensland Tasmania.. Western Australia Samoa Fiji Ceylon .. Uruguay Cape Colony Natal India 50,777 Lb. oz. 234,131 0 65,806 Lb. oz. 344,608 0 8,778 Lb. oz. 22,722 0 9,574 Lb. bz. 25,407 10 6,083 413 7,058 10,734 443 641 358 313 20 93 340 17,393 0 930 4 19,578 4 30,804 0 1,163 10 1,502 4 881 11 779 0 53 13 225 6 1,299 14f 6,757 491 7,739 11,506 494 706 442 357 12 87 283 18,088 9 719 0 22,190 3 32,908 0 1,274 7 1,812 4 1,142 4 809 4 36 10 223 14 831 10 1,515 293 3,067 4,330 435 894 630 526 239 297 100 29 233 278 225 3,318 6 672 11 6,483 1 8,385 9 853 11 1,812 11 1,193 14 1,110 4 697 1 747 9 251 2$ 97 0 432 3 530 13 481 12 1,384 255 3,200 4,925 521 742 748 587 205 359 123 64 150 306 236 2,942 7 461 5 6,272 6 8,607 0 991 2 1,262 7 1,433 10 1,087 9 663 10 1,012 4 293 9 185 7 283 15 563 13 631 0 357 85 685 649 4 139 0 2,291 3f 416 85 781 669 9 187 6 3,141 8 Totals ,78,400 :311,821 10$! 95,962 428,642 8 21,869 49,789 11$ 23,379 52,099 2