H.—36

1938. NEW ZEALAND.

PRINTING AND STATIONERY DEPARTMENT (ANNUAL REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1938.

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

Printing and Stationery Department, Wellington, Bth July, 1938. Sir, — I have the honour to submit the annual report upon the working of this Department for the year ended 31st March, 1938. The tables accompanying the report show the nature, extent, and result of the year's working. Gazette. —The number printed of each issue was 750, the number of subscribers 358, and the amount received from subscribers and sales £1,665. Hansard. —The number printed of each issue for session 1937-38 was 8,000, the number of subscribers 171, and the amount received from subscribers and sales £165. Stamp-printing'— Stamps to the value of £2,166,938, and postal notes to the value of £31,509, were printed during the year. Stereo-plates.—The number of stereo-plates cast during the year was 49,639, of which 6,487 were nickel-plated, the weight being;3l,624 lb. The steady rise in output, which reflects the corresponding increase in the volume of work handled by the Department, is shown in the accompanying table :—

Rubber Stamps.—The number of rubber stamps made was 12,110. A comparative table for the last five years is appended. Year. Nuiiiber'of Stamps. 1933-34 .. .. .. .. .. 1,000 1934-35 .. .. .. .. .. 1,551 1935-36 .. .. .. .. .. 8,915 1936-37 .. .. .. .. .. 9,734 1937-38 .. .. .. .. .. 12,110 Railway Tickets. —The number of tickets printed was 7,211,228 j the largest number printed in one month being 838,700, in April, 1937. This is an increase of 1,016,321 over the output for the previous year. Photo-litho and Process Engraving Branch. —The output from this branch during the year has increased over that of the previous year, as shown by the table set out below : —

I—H, 36.

. Number of; Stereo.plates cast. Year. Total. Weight of Metal. Ordinary. Nickel-plated. lb. 1933-34 .. .. .. 31,879 794 32,673 25,265 1934-35 .. .. 34,124 1,446 35,570 23,306 1935-36 .. .. .. 39,410 1,281 40,691 25,734 1936-37 .. .. .. 40,569 5,746 46,315 26,192 1937-38 .. .. .. 43,152 6,487 49,639 31,624

Year. Number of Maps. p^^cL 1933-34: .. .. .. 450 1,378 1934-35 .. .. .. 389 1,805 1935-36 417 1,800 1936-37 .. .. .. 463 2,349 1937-38 .. .. .. 537 3,078