21

H.—33.

Fruit. —The samples of fruit occasionally coming to hand show careful selection, packing, and carriage. The apples and pears have on the whole landed in good condition. With sympathetic attention here, and care on the part of the growers, graders, packers, and carriers, there ought to be a profitable market in this country. It has been demonstrated that we can grow the best fruit, that we can carry the fruit, and that there is a profitable market here for the fruit. All that therefore remains to be done is to exercise care, and again care, and again care. Since last reporting to the Government Mr. C. Wray Palliser has had to retire through ill health. I desire to place on record my high appreciation of his valuable work, and my regret that his health deprived the Government of his services. Captain T. E. Donne has been appointed his successor, and he is now devoting himself most energetically to the important work of the High Commissioner's Office. From my officers,- particularly those upon whom the greatest responsibility has been placed, I have received every possible assistance. In some cases the amount of extra work placed upon them owing to the war has been very heavy indeed, and it has only been by the most ungrudging labour that they have been at all able to cope with it. I desire to express to my entire staff my great appreciation for all they have done during these trying and arduous times: no body of men or women could have devoted themselves more unsparingly to the work. I have, &c, The Right lion, the Prime Minister, Wellington, N.Z. Tiios. Mackenzie.

APPENDIX A. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S DEPARTMENT—STATISTICS FOR 1916. Number of letters received from Dominion and elsewhere .. .. .. .. 150,234 Number of letters sent to the Dominion and elsewhere .. .. .. .. 109,658 Number of letters received for visitors and readdressed (approximately).. • .. .. 30,000 Book packets sent .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6,070 Rail packets sent .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 516 Number of despatches, memos, and letters received from Government Departments in New Zealand .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,446 Number of despatches sent to Government Departments in New Zealand .. .. 8,346 Number of cablegrams to and from the Dominion— Outward .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,340 Inward .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,579 Amount of receipts into Public Account in London .. .. .. .. £18,682,395 Amount of payments therefrom .. .. .. .. .. .. £17,893,835 Number of Treasury vouchers passed for payment on Foreign Imprest Account .. .. 14,613 Amount of payments made through Foreign Imprest Account .. .. .. £4,703,524 Amount of pensions paid .. .. .. .. .. .. £7,144 Amount of annuities paid .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £2,331 Number of orders for goods and material from Government Departments ill the Dominion . 324 Number of contracts .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 528 Amount of marine insurance effected .. .. .. .. .. .. £310,500 Number of shipments .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 944 New Zealand Government Life Assurance — Number of policies on register .. .. .. .. .. .... 626 Amount insured .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £210,470 Public Trust Office — Number of payments under trust and estates dealt with .. .. .. .. 932 Amount disbursed on account of Public Trust Office .. .. .. .. £48,685 Number of coupons paid' .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .'. 3,229 Amount of coupons paid .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £38,911 Amount of bonds from which coupons were paid .. . . .. .. £1,404,550 Amount of bonds matured and paid off, exchanged, converted into stock, transferred, or cancelled and returned to New Zealand .. .. . . .. .. . . £824,600 Amount of bonds issued for loans, advances, &c. .. .. .. .. £12,124,141 Number of bonds .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 27 Number of cash remittances received .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,919 Value of casli remittances received .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £848,070