POST AND TELEGRAPH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17090, 23 August 1917, Page 6

POST AND TELEGRAPH

ANNUAL REPORT.

(I<noH Oun Own Cohbespondent )

WELLINGTON, August 22. urn (Sir Josoph rcl), in ins introduction to the annual report of the Post arid Talngniph Department for tho year 1916-17, states; "Thb noble response of the officers of oJI ranks to t.Ki call of tlio Empire in its task of overcoming' our common foes again stands out as the brightest aohiovej.xciiit of tho J. o!ir - . fewer than 1675 are now with Forces. Some have won distinctions and honc'urs, while many, I legiet to say, liavo been killed in action and many wounded. No effort h;is been scared by the department to meet in every way possible tho needs of both tho soldiers and their relatives and friends in all matters coming within tho soopo of its activiIf spito of t.lio heavy call upon tlio stair, it Lias not yet boon found lieoessary to curtail tho sorviees in any way, nor has tho department up to tho present claimed exemption for any officers required for military service. " The war loan certificates scheme, which was entrusted by me to tho department, S? s ,t I R r c °7 od , a great success, the kujii of ±-1,410.666 having been eo far raised towards tho war loan by tho sale of theso certificates. The year is the first during the whole of which the increased charges imposed on account of tho war have been in force, and the revenue reached the very laigo sum of £1,809,317. Of Ij.is, £334,000 fnay bo said to represent the increase due to the special war tax on mail matter and telegrams.

" sav ' n gs bank husiness shows a remarkable increase; not alone in deposits, but net savings. For the year ±-4018,988 was added to the savings, which, together ■ with £817,856 (interest equals £3,436,8+4, and brings the total balaneo up to £?.5,603,208. " Genera|ly, the business in all branches of the service has been well miuutained, the excess of receipts over expenditure being £43. ,507." 6

lho a,nnual report of the department shows that the total receipts for the finan2>i z>7o ! ann Wore and the payments £1,370,809, the receipts exceeding those of 1915-16 by £113,560. The balance of receipts over payments was £438,507, as against £399,235 in 1915-16, and £112 209 m 1914-15.

lho work performed in connection with tae payment of allotments made by members of tho New Zealand Military Forces has assumed very largo proportions. The number of payments made amounted to the large total of 405,255 for £2,164,780. There is still a steadily increasing number of bureau communications, which are to Bome extent taking the place of telegrams, for while tho number of ordinary telegrams decreased from 6,062,131 in 1915-16 to 5,742,739 in 1916-17, tho number of bureau messages increased from 3,963,801 to 4,382,823. Thus, while the number of telegrams fell off by 319,392, the bureau communications increased by 419,022. While ordinary telegrams show tho above-men-tioned decrease the increased rates produced an increased revenue therefrom of £8644. ,

lhe number of press telegrams fell from 383,155 to 304,192, but the revenue derived therefrom on account of tho increased rates was £25,373, as against £24,417 in 1915-16. lhe telephone exchange revenue received was £317,275, an increase of £29,728. on last year's figures. The number of telephono connections at the 10 principal telephone exchanges on March 31, 1917, was as follows:—Auckland, 7766; Wellington, 7724; Christchurch, 5913; Dunedin. 4934; Wanganui, 1658; G : sborne, 1651; Napier, 1539; Hastings, 1455; Invercargill, 1451; Palmerston North, 1329.

Up to March 31, 1917, tho number of permanent and temporary officers of tho -department accepted for service with the expeditionary forces totalled 1542. This includes one nursing sister. Of these officers it is regretted that 80 have been wounded. Several officers have won honours while on active service. One has had the D.S.O. conferred on him, two have been awarded the D.C.M., eight have been awarded the Military Medal, eight have been mentioned in despatches, and two have been awarded Serbian decorations.

During the year the department supplied regular reinforcements to the wireless telegraphy troop of 62 officers sent last year. The department has also provided a number of expert telegraphists, mechanics, and linemen for duty with the force, and, by selecting trained postal men,- has enabled the postal arrangements abroad for the expeditionary force ,to be kept in as high a state of efficiency as possible.

POST OFFICE SAVINGS BANK

The report states that tho business of the Post OtEcc Savings Bank again shows a remarkable increase. The exccss of deposits over withdrawals amounted to £2,618.988, and in addition to this there was credited to depositors' accounts £817,856 for interest. Thus the total amount' at credit of depositors was increased during' the year by £3,436,844. The total baiajico at credit of depositors on December 31 was £25.603,209. 'lbese results are an indication of the unabated confidence reposed in tho institution by the people of the dominion. There were 11 new savings back offices opened during the year, and"l2 were closed, leaving a total of 786 olfioes at which savings may be deposited and withdrawals made. Eighty-four thousand eight hundred pnd thirty-throe now accounts were opened jnd 55,846 were closed, leaving 538,072 still in operation at tho end of the year. Thia gives a proportion of one account in every 2.13 of tho population. Tho total transactions show a material increase. - The deposits reached a total of £15,576,408, and the withdrawals £12,957,420. The average deposit amounted to £13 18s 7d, and the average withdrawal to £18 16s 2d. while the overage amount at credit of each depositors £47 lis 7d. If the total at credit bo cnvided equally between the entire population it would amount to £22 5s 3d per head. The working expenses of the Savings Bank amounted to 4.25 d per transaction, which gives a cost per cent, on' cho total amount at credit of depositors of 0 12d per £100.