THE CARELESS PUBLIC.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXV, Issue LXV, 1 August 1913, Page 5

THE CARELESS PUBLIC.

DEAD LETER OFFICE RETURNS

[By Telegea*b— Special xv a-iAta.j WELLINGTON, July 31. Every year tne Jfohtm.toc.er-Cejieral compiles a most remarkable usx, indicative of the number of careiess or forgetful people'there are in tne community. He shows m the i'ost Onice Reporo that last year tne undermentioned articles of value were found in letters in tile dead letter office, and returned to the senders where'practicable: 885 post oftice orders to the value of £2804 8s lid; 68 bank drafts,, £5622 16s; 1056 cheques, £9731 2s 4d; 20 dividend warrants, £107 7s lOd; 24 promissory notes, £1125 19s od; postal notes, £586 9s 6d; British postal orders, £100 6s 8d; stamps, £06 2s lOd; bank notes (including a fifteendollar bill), £613 2s 6d; gold, £54; silver and copper, £17 0s Bd. This represents a total of £19,863 16s sfd. There were also other trifles which went astray and reached a safe haven m ths dead letter office. These include 17 gold watches, 31 gold brooches, 16 gold chains, 18 gold rings, 8 gold tiepins, 3 gold bangles, 3 gold medals, 2 gold-mounted tusk brooches, 3 pair gold earrings, I gold-mounted cigar-holder, 1 piece of gold quartz, 18 gold-mounted greenstone pendants, 11 gold-mounted greenstone brooches, 38 silver watches, 9 silver chains, 5 silver brooches, 13 silver spoons, 3 silver medals, 2 pieces %of greenstone, 1 pair of field-glasses, 1 masonic jewel, 5 railway tickets, 1 steamer ticket, 10 lottery tickets, 6 pawn tickets, and 9 share certifeates.