H.—30.

Session 11. 1923. NEW ZEALAND.

PRINTING AND STATIONERY DEPARTMENT (ANNUAL REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1923.

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave.

Sir, — Printing and Stationery Department, Wellington, 30th June, 1923. I have the honour to submit the annual report upon the working of this Department for the year ended 31st March, 1923. The tables accompanying the report show the nature, extent, and result of the year's working. Gazette. —The number printed of each issue was 1,120, the number of subscribers 465, and the amount received from subscribers and sales £2,702. Hansard. —The number printed of each issue for session 1922 was 5,226, the number of subscribers 103, and the amount received from subscribers and sales £216. Stamp-printing. —Stamps to the value of £2,936,052 and postal notes to the value of £14,761 were printed. Stereo and Electro Plates. —The number of stereo-plates cast during the year was 24,413, the weight 17,873 lb. The number of electrotypes was 9,070, and the weight 1,005 lb. Rubber Stamps. —The number of rubber stamps made was 4,635. Railway Ticket 5 .—9,270,127 railway tickets were printed, the largest number (1,109,771) being printed in May. Work of the Year. —All branches of the Department have been kept fairly busy. The Photolitho and Process-engraving Branch has been particularly busy during the year, which has necessitated the' employment of extra hands. The production of the new county maps for the Lands and Survey Department has taxed the branch to its utmost. Paper and Stationery. —Although there was in hand a large stock of paper jiurchased at the high rate, advantage was taken of the fall in price to procure good stocks of the most used papers. The price, however, is on the rise again : at the present time it is equal to 5 per cent, above that ruling at this period last year. Stationery prices all round are approximately the same as last year. Machinery. —There has been a slight fall in the cost of machinery. Several additions were made during the year. An improvement has been made in the lithographic plant by the installation of a plate-graining machine. New and improved lamps are to be used in the Process-engraving Branch. This branch is now fully equipped for the production of three-colour plates. A Cross continuous feeder has been ordered for one of the paper-folding machines. Information is being obtained from the makers of a reel printing machine specially designed to complete in one operation a class of work which at the present time has to be handled several times. Fire-alarm. —The work of installing an up-to-date automatic fire-alarm system has been put in hand by the Public Works Department. Finance. —The profit for the year amounts to £1,011, against £7,904 for last year, but this is due in a great measure to the reduced charges for the work done. This decrease has consequently been to the benefit of the other Government Departments.