PENNY POSTAGE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 21, 25 January 1924, Page 8

PENNY POSTAGE

causes drop in postal Vrevenue

TELEPHONES SHO'V BIG INCREASE. *

While the total Post and Telegraph revenue for the quarter ended 31st December, 1923, £871,045, exceeded that of the corresponding period of 1922 by slightly over £70,000, the postal revenue showed a drop of £91,306. This is due to .the reduced .postage charges which came into operation last October. The Postal revenue for the quarter was £313,414, whereas in the -corresponding period of 1922 it was £404,720. Postages during the quarter amounted to £287,587, as against £380,600 in the previous year. Although the total postal revenue has fallen off, the readjusted telephone charges have been responsible for. an increase in the telegraph revenue. The total telegraph revenue was £557,630, an increase of £162,105 for the last quarter of 1922, so it will, be seen that the loss accruing from the reversion to penny postage has been' more than made up by the increase in the total telegraph revenue. As a matter of fact, the telephone exchange revenue alone, £371,841, was £170,211 greater than in the quarter ended 31st December, 1922. Receipts from telegrams, £179,203, were £9287 less than for the last 1922 quarter. ' The figures for the four chief, centres show that Wellington holds leading place. They are as follow :— . Postal. Telegraph. Total. £ £ £ Wellington ... 73,085 118,233 191,319 Auckland ... 68,863 if 1,835 180,698 Umstchurch ■ 38,879 83,863 122,742 Dunedin ....;. 23,982 38,182 62,165 1 The,total amount of money orders issued during the quarter was £1,085,178 (£1,006,416 for December quarter, 1922), ™i, 8 thafc o£ money /orders paid was £974,358 (£919,513). In the" four chief centres the total amounts of the money •orders issued were: Auckland £202,030, Chnstchurch £98,827, Dunedin £81,633 Wellington £194,586. The total amounts i ™eJ n.°. ney ■ orders paid were: Auckland £253,559, Chrisfchurch £115,116 Dunedin £88,113, Wellington £204,150 Vs^ J1 c December quarters of 1923 and 1922 the Post Office Savings Bank figures compare as under, those1 for 1922 being placed in parentheses: Accounts Toio'nl'^ <16> 944): accounts closed, fifJ^lli: number of -deport. T* ™(^ )4? 6): number of withdrawals 305414 (285,479); amount of jde-posits,-£7,827,378 (£6,342,609); amount oi: withdrawal^ £8,2i~5,283 (£6,850----bi!SU excess of withdrawals over deposits, £457,905 (£SOB 079) . pafe Ora 3 th™d°er:^ ntreS

Depdsits. Withdrawals. r£°- k! au' d -I- 1 '57S.°8S 1,593466 Chnstchurch ,1,109,419 1186 956 ' w"h- n, > 584 '885 7°2 770 Weljington .. 3,807,189 1,860 465