Papers Past | Parliamentary Papers | Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives | 1925 Session I | POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT (REPORT OF THE) FOR...

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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR 1924-25.

CONTENTS. PAGE PAGE Receipts and Payments ... ... 1,9 Motor-vehicles ... ... ... 17 Telephone Service ... ... ... 1 Missing Postal Packets ... ... 17 Automatic-telephone-exchange Instal- Articles delivered ... ... ... 18 lation ... ... ... .. 2 Average Number of Letters posted per Buildings ... ... ... ... 2,22 Unit of Population ... ... 18 Inland Mail-services ... ... 2 Number of Post-offices in Dominion ... 18 Rural Deliveries ... ... ... 3 Undeliverable Postal Packets ... 18 Cinematograph-films ... ... 3,13 Prohibited Postal Packets ... ... 21 Compulsory Enrolment of Electors ... 3 Register of Newspapers and Magazines 21 Tuition of School-children by Oorres- Postage-stamps ... ... ... 21 pondence ... ... ... 3 Parcel-post ... ... ... 21 Motor Registration ... ... 3,13 Postal Notes ... ... ... 22 Postal Congress ... ... ...3,11 British Postal Orders ... ... 22 Postmarking Machines ... ... 4 Results of " All Black" Football Matches 22 Post Parcels from Great Britain ... 4 Press Rates ... ... ... 23 Ocean Mails: Proposal to forward via Telegraph and Toll Traffic ... ... 23 Suez ... ... ... ... 4 Telegraph and Toll-lines Systems ... 23 : Inspection of Post-offices ... ... 4 Machine-printing Telegraphs ... 23 Post Office Savings-banks in New Zea- Universal-battery System ... ... 24 land's Dependencies and in the Man- Maintenance of Lines ... ... 24 dated Territory of Western Samoa ... 5 Miscellaneous (Telegraphs) ... ... 24 Motor Transport ... ... ... 5 New Toll Circuits ... ... ... 24 Railway Strike ... ... .. 5 Poles and Wire ... ... ... Intercolonial Night Letter-telegram ... 5 New Zealand Submarine-cables ... 25Radio Broadcasting... ... ... 6,27 Cable Traffic ... ... ... 25 Amateur Wireless Licenses ... ... 6, 28 Ocean Cable Services ... ... 26 Wireless Press News to Ships at Sea ... 6 Wireless Traffic ... ... 26 Reduced Cable Rates ... ... 6 Wireless Equipment, Extension, &o. ... 27 Inland Night Letter-telegrams ... 6 Eee for Ship Operator's Certificate ... 28 Work performed for other Departments 7 Press Rate on Telegrams exchanged Money-orders ... ... ... 7 with Island Stations .... ... 28 Savings-banks ... ... ... 7 Telephone-exchange Service (Develop-Safe-deposit System ... ... 7 ment) ... ... ... ... 28 Postmaster-General: Relinquishing of Attendance at Telephone Exchanges ... 28 Office ... ... ... ••• 8 New Exchanges, Extensions, &c. ... 29 Details of Revenue, &e. ... ... 8 Private Telephone-lines ... ... 30 Staff ... ... ... 10 Public Call Offices ... ... ... 30 Appeal Board ... ... ... 10 Private-line Circuits between Places of Departmental Correspondence Classes 10 Business ... ... ... 30 Examinations ... ... ... 10 Telephone Statistics ... ... 30 "Householder" Circulars ... ... 10 Automatic-telephone-exchange InstalPost and Telegraph Amendment Act, lations ... ... ... ... 32 Government Publications:"' Postage (Interleaved are illustrations of the new -^ ates 23 post-office, Sc. Heliers, the new telephoneExplosion at Motueka !" 14 exchange Stout Street Wellington, the Government Life Insurance Agencies ... 14 wireless stations at Aitutaki and Mangaia, Transfer of Offices 14 and also of work bem § undertaken in conCustody of Duplicate Key of Safe or with telephone-cables and telephone-Strone-room ... 14 exchange installation; together with graphs Overseas Mails "' "' ' 14 indicating departmental revenue and expendiIntercolonial Mail-services ... ... 15 ture > &0 ') Inland Mail-services 15 APPLN DIX. Stores Branch ... ... ... 16 Designation of Offices changed ... 34 Audit of Engineer's Stock ... ... 16 Cable Business ... ... ... 34 Workshops ... ... ... 16 Radio-telegrams ... ... ... 34 (For Index to Tables see page ii, and for Detailed Index see pages iii and iv.)

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TABLES. No. 1. —Money-orders issued and paid— pagb (a..) Issued in the Dominion ... ... ... ... ... ... 35 (b.) Drawn on the Dominion ... ... ... ... ... ... 35 No. 2.—Number and Value of Postal Notes sold ... ... ... ... ... 36 No. 3.—'Number and Amount of Transactions at the Money-order Offices and Post Office Savings-banks in New Zealand ... ... ... ... 37 No. 4.—General Statement of Post Office Savings-bank Business for Year ended 31st March, 1925 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 38 No. 5. —-General Statement of Post Office Savings-bank Business from 1867 to 1925 ... 39 No. 6.—Post Office Savings-bank Receipts and Payments for Year ended 31st March, 1925 ... ... ... ...' ... ... ... ... 40 No. 7.—Number of Post Office Savings-bank Accounts open ... ... ... 41 No. 8. —Estimated Number of Letters and Letter-cards, Post-cards, Book-packets, Newspapers, and Parcels dealt with ... ... ... ... 42 No. 9.—Registered Articles ... ... .. ... ... ... ... 43 No 10.—Parcel-post ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 43 No. 11 .—Comparative Table showing the Progress of the Telegraph Department and Revenue received for each Class of Message ... ... ... ... 44 No. 12.—Revenue derived from Toll Calls and Paid Telegrams in respective Postal Districts ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 45

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III

DETAILED INDEX. A. PAGE H. PAGE Appeal Board .. .. .. .. 10 Health of staff .. .. .. 10 Articles delivered .. .. .. ..18 "Householder" circulars .. .. .. 10 Automatic-telephone-exchange installations,&c. 2, 32,33 B. I. Batteries, class of, and number in use .. .. 24 Inland mail-services (see » Mail-services "). Book-packets posted and delivered .. .. 42 Inspection of post-offices .. .. .. 4 British postal orders sold, &c. .. .. .. 22 Instruments, telegraph, clasß of, and number in use 24 Buildings .. .. .. .. ..2,22 Intercolonial night-letter telegram .. ..5,26 Business done for other Departments .. .. 7 C. K - Cable messages— Key of safe or strongroom : Custody of duplicate .. 14 Daily letter .. .. .. .. 26 Deferred .. .. .. .. 25 Intercolonial night letter-telegram system .. 5,26 T traffic .. .. .. ..25,34 . u ' International traffic.. .. .. ..25,34 Leave, sick .. .. .. .. ..10 Number .. .. .. .. .. 25,34 Letters and letter-cards— Paoific and Marconi route .. .. ..26 Dead, dealt with .. .. .. .. 18 Press ~ ~ .. ..25 » proportion to number delivered.. .. 18 Reduced rates .. .. .. .. 6,26 Imperfectly or insufficiently addressed .. 18 Value .. .. .. .. 34 Missing .. .. .. .. .. 18 War-tax .. .. .. .. ..26 Posted and delivered .. .. ..18,42 Week-end .. .. .. .. 26 Posted : Average number per head of population 18 Cables— ' >. unaddressed .. .. .. 18 Eastern Extension (see "Eastern Extension cable"). » with previously used stamps .. .. 18 New Zealand .. .. .. 25 Registered, unclaimed .. .. .. 18 Pacific (see " Pacific Cable"). With libellous addresses .. .. .. is Cinematograph films .. .. .. .. 3,13 Circulars, " Householder" .. .. 10 Classes, departmental correspondence .... 10 M. Cook Strait telephone cable .. .. 25 , r . . . , , Correspondence prohibited 21 Machine-printing telegraphs 23 Customs parcels 21 Magazines registered .. 21 ' ~ removed from register .. .. 21 Mail-services— D . Inland .. .. .. ..2, 15 Intercolonial .. .. .. .. 15 Daily letter-telegram .. .. .. 25 Ocean : Proposal to forward via Suez .. .. 4 Dead-letters .. .. .. .. .. 18 Overseas .. .. .. . . .. 14 1 15 Deferred cable message .. .. .. 25 Missing postal packets.. .. .. .. 17 Departmental Correspondence Classes .. .. 10 Money-order Designation of offices changed .. .. .. 34 Commission .. .. .. 7 Exchange with other countries .. .. 35 Issued and paid .. .. .. .. 7, 35 ■k- Number of transactions .. .. .. 37 Eastern Extension cable— Trade charge .. .. .. .. 7 Number and percentage of messages forwarded Motor registration .. .. .. .. 3, 13 and received .. .. .. ..25 ~ service, Government .. .. .. 5 Press cablegrams .. .. .. ..25 ~ transport .. .. .. ..5,17 Share of business .. .. .. 25 Engineers' stock, audit of .. .. 16 Enrolment of electors .. .. .. 3 N. Examinations.. .. .. .. ..10 NewspapersExchanges, telephone (see " Telephone exchanges"). Posted and delivered 42 Expenditure of Department .. .. ..1,9 Registered .. .. .. *' 21 Explosion at Motueka .. .. .. 14 Removed from register .. .. .. 21 Returned to publishers . .. .. 18 Night letter-telegrams.. .. 5, 6, 23, 25, 44 r . Fee for ship operator's certificate .. .. 28 q Ocean cable services (see " Cable messages," " Pacific cable," &o.). Government Life Insurance agencies .. .. 14 Officers — „ motor service .. .. .. 5 Absence on sick-leave, average .. .. 10 „ publications : Alteration in postage rates 13 Death of .. .. . .. .. .. io Graphs— Health .. .. .. .. .. 10 Extension of rural-delivery service .. .. 15 Number .. .. .. .. ..10 Postal packets posted .. .. .. 19 Offices (see under " Post," " Telegraph," &c.). Telephones per 100 population .. ..29 ~ designation changed .. .. .. 34 The Post Office Savings-bank .. .. .. 20 ~ transfer of .. .. .. ..14 Undeliverable postal packets .. .. .. 21 Overseas mails .. .. .. ..14,15

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p. S— continued. page Pacific cable— page StaffNumber aod percentage of messages forwarded and Casual .. .. .. .. .. 10 received .. .. .. • • .. 25 Health .. .. .. .. .. 10 Press telegrams .. .. • ■ .. 25 Number .. .. .. .. 10 Share of business .. .. •• ..25 Personal .. .. .. .. .. 10 Packets alleged to have been posted and not delivered 17 Stamps: New issues, &c. .. .. ..21 Parcels — Stores Branch .. .. .. .. 16 Assessment of Customs daty on parcels for Hawera 22 Submarine cables, New Zealand .. ..25 Customs parcels .. .. .. 21 Delivered .. .. .. .. 18, 42 T. Despatched overseas .. .. . ■ .. 43 Telegrams Foreign (inwards), declared value of, and Customs Daily letter-telegram .. .. .. .. 25 duty collected on .. .. 21 Government: Number and value .. 44, 45 Foreign (outwards), declared value of .. 21 Increase in number .. .. .. 23 Insured system with Australia .. ..21 Night letter .. .. .. 5,6,23,25,44 Post, from Great Britain .. .. •. 4 Of all codes .. .. .. .. 23, 45 Posted and delivered .. .. ..42 Ordinary: Number and value .. .. 23, 44 Received from overseas .. . ■ .43 Per 100 letters .. .. .. .. 23 Postage-stamps .. .. ■. .. 21 Press .. .. 23, 28, 44 Postal Congress .. .. • ■ 3, 11, 12 Urgent .. .. .. .. 23, 44 Postal notes— Telegraph— Commission .. .. ■■ .. ..22 Amount of business .. .. .. 23,44,45 Sold .. .. .. .. 22, 36 Instruments and batteries in use .. .. 24Postal orders, British, sold .. .. .. 22 Lines— Post and Telegraph Amendment Act, 1924 .. 11 Length of, erected, &c. .. .. .. 24 Post-cards — Maintenance of .. .. .. .24 Delivered .. .. •. ■. 18, 42 j Poles and wire .. .. .. .. 24 Posted .. .. .. .. .. 42 Superimposed .. ; .. .. 25 Post-marking machines.. .. .. .. 4 Offices converted from Morse to telephone, &c. .. 24 Postmaster-General: Relinquishing of office ..8 ~ open, &c. .. .. .. ..24 Post-offices — Press rates .. .. .. .. 23, 28 Closed .. .. .. .. ..18 Private wires: Number and rental .. ..30 Designation changed .. .. .. .34 Receipts and payments .. .. 9, 45 Established .. .. .. .. ..18 Results of " All Black " football matches .. 22 Inspection .. .. .. .. ..4 Revenue .. .. .. ..9,23,44,45 Miscellaneous information .. .. 18 System, machine-printing .. .. 23 Number .. ... .. .. ..18 Telegraph and toll-line systems .. .. ..23 Private-line circuits, &c. .. .. .. 30 Effect of extensions .. .. .. 23 Prohibited postal packets .. .. ..21 Extensions .. .. .. .. ..23 Public call offices .. .. .. .. 30 Telephone— Exchanges— Attendance .. .. .. ..28 Automatic .. .. .. .. 32,33 R- Connections: Proportion to population .. 29 n „„ Development .. .. .. ..28 Radio broadcast,ng 6,27 Line, length of, erected, &c 28 Radio communications — New 1 29 Business transacted .. .. .. Number of subscribers awaiting connection .. 31 Government stations .. .. .. .. 27 n 0 9C > Miscellaneous information .. .. 6 Port,/ iir,o '' " " ' qn Press rate on telegrams exohanged with island Planl " 31 stations 28 ;; ;; ■; •; ;; 28 Private stations .. .. ..27 Revenue 9,44 Railway strike .. 5 gervice 28 Receipts and payments 1, 8 Statistics 30 Registered articles 18,43 Subscribers'connections 1,31 Revenue of Department 9 Toll traffic : Line available .. .. 23,24 Rural mail-services 3,15 Lines overhauled, &c 24 ~ private .. .. .. ..30 Metallic circuits erected .. .. 23 S Offices converted to Morse .. .. . 24 Slot .. .. .. .. .. .. 30 Safe deposit-system .. .. .. .. 7,8 Statistics .. .. .. .. .. 30 Salaries .. .. .. .. ..9 Toll circuits, new .. .. .. ..24 San Francisco mail-service .. .. 14, 15 ~ communications .. .. .. 23, 44 Savings-bank— Tuition of school-children by correspondence .. 3 Accounts open. &c. .. .. .. .. 41 Cost of management .. .. .. 38 U. Depositors, number of, to population .. 7 rT . Deposits : Amount, &c. .. .. 7, 38, 39, 40 Undelivered postal packets 18 Excess of deposits over withdrawals .. 7, 38, 39 Universal battery system .. .. .. 24 Interest .. .. .. .. 38, 39, 40 Liabilities and assets .. .. .. .. 40 Nsw Zealand's Dependencies, and in the mandated Vancouver mail-service .. .. .. 14,15 territory of Western Samoa .. .. .. 5 Nominations by depositors ;..... 7 W. Offices open, &c. .. .. .. 38,39 Wireless — Profit and Loss Account .. .. 40 Equipment: Extension, .. .. ..27 Receipts and payments .. .. .. 40 Licenses, amateur .. .. .. .. 6,28 Reserve Fund Account .. .. .. 40 Press news to ships at sea .. .. 6 Securities .. .. .. .. .. 40 Ship operator's certificate .. .. 28 Transactions .. .. .. 7,38,39 Telegraphy .. .. .. .. 6,26-28 Withdrawals .. .. .. 7, 38, 39, 40 Work performed for other Departments .. .. 7 Slot telephones.. .. .. .. ..30 Workshops .. .. .. ... 16,17

1925. NEW ZEALAND.

POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT (REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR 1924-25.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

To His Excellency the Right Honourable Charles Fergusson, Baronet; General on the Retired List and in the Reserve of Officers of His Majesty's Army ; Doctor of Laws ; Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George ; Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath ; Companion of the Distinguished Service Order ; Member of the Royal Victorian Order. May it Please Your Excellency,— I have the honour to submit to Your Excellency the report of the Post and Telegraph Department for the year ended 31st March, 1925. RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS. The business of the Department continues to be satisfactory. The excess of receipts over expenditure was £473,193. The amount of income from postages is less than that which obtained during the previous year. The reduction was expected, as during the whole of the year the reduced rates of postage were operating, as against only six months for the previous year. However, as work increases, it is confidently expected that the increased volume of business will result in the revenue from postages soon reaching the amount obtained in the previous year. TELEPHONE SERVICE. The expansion of the telephone-exchange system is one of the most distinctive features of the year's operations. Altogether, twenty-one new exchanges were opened during the year, and to these and other exchanges throughout the Dominion 13,304 new connections were made. This is the greatest number of new stations connected during any year since the inception of the telephone-exchange system, and is more than three times the number of applicants who were awaiting telephone connection at the beginning of the year. The number on the waitinglist at the beginning of the year was 4,086. Notwithstanding the large number of new connections made during the year, there are still 3,622 persons on the waiting-list. Telephone-exchange service, which up to recent years was regarded as more of a luxury than a necessity, has fast become one of the greatest public utilities, and with all classes of the community there exists an insistent demand for telephones. The development of the country exchanges has undoubtedly been greatly stimulated by the present rating system, various attractive features of which, from the viewpoint of the country subscribers, are the liberal

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hours of attendance, the elimination of the provision whereby subscribers were required to contribute towards the capital cost of their lines, tie rating of partyand rural-line subscribers on their individual distances from exchanges, and the rural-line system which permits of as many as ten subscribers' stations being connected with one circuit at a comparatively low rate of rental. AUTOMATIC-TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE INSTALLATION. The conversion during the year of eight thousand lines of the Auckland telephone-exchange systems from manual to automatic working in one operation terminated an undertaking of considerable magnitude, and may be classed as the most complex and one of the largest electrical engineering works yet undertaken in the Southern Hemisphere. The system, as installed, is capable of ready extension, and makes provision for very considerable expansion of the Auckland telephone service. BUILDINGS. The rapid expansion of the Department's business continually demands the provision of increased or improved accommodation for the conduct of such business. The maintenance of a progressive building policy is therefore necessary. The requirements are many and varied, but each case is dealt with strictly in its order of urgency. As an indication of the rapid growth of the Department's business, I quote the case of Ngatea, situated on the Hauraki Plains, most of which was a swamp some years ago. In 1912, when a post-office was first established at Ngatea, the business was conducted in a small building situated on the property of one of the settlers who acted as Postmaster. In 1919 a permanent Postmaster was appointed, and in 1922 a small departmental building costing £325 was erected. The increase in the volume of business was so marked that within a comparatively short period the accommodation provided was found to be inadequate, and during the latter end of 1924 the erection was put in hand of an up-to-date country postoffice building, with accommodation for a telephone exchange and residential quarters for the Postmaster, together with storage and garage accommodation, at a total cost of £2,750. A building which is destined to become the central telephone exchange has been erected in Wellington. In addition to accommodating the switchingapparatus required for the ultimate conversion to automatic working of the whole of the public telephone service in Wellington, offices are provided in the new building for the District Telegraph Engineer and his staff. INLAND MAIL-SERVICES. Towards the end of 1924 tenders were invited for all inland mail-service contracts, the annual payment for which exceeded £40. In the North Island contracts were entered into for a period of three years, and in the South Island for a period of four years. In both the North and South Islands the term for future contracts will be three years. In future, contracts let in the South Island will fall due in the year following those let in the North Island. This will eliminate the congestion formerly in evidence at reletting periods. In many instances there was keen competition for the contracts, with beneficial results to the Department, and although the cost of the services let from the Ist January, 1925, showed a reduction of £9,000 on those in operation in 1924, it is considered the contract prices are capable [of a still further reduction when the services are again let to tender. It is to he remembered that the recently expired contracts were entered into towards the end of 1921 when the price of motor-vehicles, petrol, tires, tubes, &c., was extraordinarily high. In a few cases, however, the Department, owing to the lack of competition, is paying unreasonable subsidies for the carriage of its mails. It may be necessary in future to take steps which will enable the Department to economically perform its own services in such cases,

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RURAL DELIVERIES. A feature of the year has been the extension of the rural-delivery system, a graph in reference to which appears on page 15. The growth of the system is particularly noticeable in the Canterbury District, where fifty-one post-offices have been closed and 843 miles of rural deliveries established. The position today is that the majority of the settlers in the Canterbury District are now provided with a daily delivery, which, generally speaking, reaches them before 1 p.m. The change-over to rural delivery is much appreciated by settlers, who formerly were required to visit the nearest post-office to collect and post their mail-matter. The rural-delivery scheme generally is spreading steadily. The Department has now a cheap and efficient rural box which is available to settlers at cost price. Owing to the poor class of home-made boxes that the settlers were in many cases erecting, the Department found it necessary to compel all new subscribers to purchase standard boxes. CINEMATOGRAPH-FI LMS. In view of their highly inflammable nature, it was decided both by my Department and by the Railway Department to accept cinematograph-films for transmission by post or by rail only when the films are properly packed in special fireproof containers. Particulars in regard to the matter are contained in the statement which follows. COMPULSORY ENROLMENT OF ELECTORS. The Department again placed its organization at the disposal of the Electoral Department in the matter of distributing claims-for-enrolment cards in connection with the new obligations cast upon electors. Altogether, over 700,000 cards were distributed, and, as 95 per cent, of them have been completed and returned to Registrars of Electors, it will be seen that the work was efficiently performed. TUITION OE SCHOOL-CHILDREN BY CORRESPONDENCE. During the period of the infantile-paralysis epidemic arrangements were made by the Education Department for the publication in the Press of lessons for schoolchildren. Scholars were required to post their lessons to the headmaster of their school and to prepay the postage thereon. Teachers, however, were permitted to return the corrected lessons to the pupils without prepayment of postage, the total amount of postage being subsequently collected from the Education Boards concerned. MOTOR REGISTRATION. The Motor-vehicles Act, 1924, prescribes that each and every motor-vehicle in the Dominion shall be registered and licensed. The work of registering and licensing motor-vehicles, issuing registration-plates, and keeping the necessary records has been undertaken by the Post Office. The undertaking of these duties has placed on the shoulders of the Department a considerable amount of additional work and responsibility. Throughout the year the work requires the full time of several officers. The system of operation drawn up by the Department has worked well. In view of the fact that nothing in the nature of a Dominion Register of Mo tor-vehicles had previously been attempted, the promptitude and precision with which the Department was able to set up and operate machinery for the efficient conduct of the scheme is a matter deserving of commendation. POSTAL CONGRESS. Mr. A. T. Markman, Secretary of the Department, represented the Dominion at the Postal Union Congress held last year at Stockholm. Among the more important changes made by Congress, mention may be made of the reduction in postage-rates, reduction in land and sea transit rates, and the granting to New Zealand of the right to vote as an independent postal administration

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POSTMARKIN G-MACHINES; Mr. Markman was instructed to make inquiries during his tour abroad regarding the type of postmarking-machines in use in the various countries through which he passed. Mr. Markman was impressed with a power stamping-machine manufactured by the Universal Stamping-machine Company, Stamford, Connecticut, and accordingly purchased two machines for the purpose of trial. One machine has been installed in the Chief Post-office, Auckland, and the other in the Chief Post-office, Wellington, and they are giving every satisfaction. The type is very legible and the cancelling mechanism good. In addition to cancelling correspondence, the machine automatically tallies by means of a special device the number of letters that pass through the machine. This will prove very beneficial for the purpose of counting letters when the periodical counts of correspondence are in progress. POST PARCELS FROM GREAT BRITAIN. During the war it was found necessary to conserve shipping-space, and to this end the postal authorities of Great Britain limited the size' of post parcels for New Zealand forwarded via Panama to 4 ft. length and girth combined. Prior to this reduction the size-limit was 6 ft. length and girth combined. Despite repeated requests made during recent years, the shipping companies could not be induced to revert to the carrying of the larger-sized parcels ; but as the result of personal representations made in London by the Secretary after his visit to the Postal Congress in Stockholm, the shipping companies have now agreed to accept parcels measuring up to 6 ft. length and girth combined for despatch via Panama. The agreement will mean some increased payment for the carriage of the larger-sized parcels, and in this connection the British Post Office will no doubt raise the postage-rates. The raising of the size-limit is much appreciated by New Zealand importers. OCEAN MAILS : PROPOSAL TO FORWARD VIA SUEZ. During the Secretary's stay in London he raised, with the Secretary, General Post Office, London, the question of using the Vancouver and San Francisco routes for the despatch of mails to New Zealand in preference to the Suez route. The London office agreed to utilize the Vancouver and San Franscisco routes for all correspondence, except that specially addressed via Suez and that which woidd reach New Zealand sooner by being despatched by way of Panama. In February, 1925, however, the London office wrote explaining that owing to a .rearrangement of the services via Suez, enabling a regidar fortnightly despatch to be made, the number of occasions on which there would be delay on mails would be few, that such delays would be slight, and that in the circumstances the Suez route would be used for other than specially addressed correspondence. In addition it was pointed out that the extra expense involved in diverting mails for New Zealand via North America was not warranted, as the British Post Office had entered into a contract for the carriage of all mails fortnightly via Suez. INSPECTION OF POST-OFFICES. During 1924, 1,672 visits of inspection were made, an audit of the accounts being carried out each time an office was visited. On no single occasion was any serious discrepancy in the official cash disclosed. Besides carrying out a complete audit, an inspecting officer is required to promote the general efficiency of the service, to detect irregularities in office management, to co-ordinate the Department's methods in order that an officer transferred from one office to another may readily take up duty in his new position, and to allocate the numerical strength of staff required at each office. It is also the duty of an Inspector to satisfy himself by personal inquiry that the facilities given to the public at each office visited by him are in full accordance with the requirements, and that in each section of the office prompt attention is given to the public. A scrutiny of the reports furnished throughout the year by Inspectors shows that not only has the general efficiency been maintained, but that an advance in that respect has been effected.

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POST OFFICE SAVINGS-BANKS IN NEW ZEALAND'S DEPENDENCIES AND IN THE MANDATED TERRITORY OF WESTERN SAMOA. Possibly it is not generally known that the beneficent influence of the Post Office Savings-bank is in full operation both in Samoa and in the Cook Islands. In each case the New Zealand Government lends its organization, even to the extent of sharing with the Island Administration some gilt-edged investments for the surplus funds. The actual work, however, is conducted by officers under the control of the respective Administrations. In order to provide the maximum of benefit to the clients of the bank, a measure of decentralization was introduced in the case of Samoa about five years ago, when a savings-bank ledger office was established at Apia. This enabled depositors to obtain repayment of their deposits without reference to the central office in New Zealand. The innovation proved a great success, and accordingly a similar arrangement was made last year in the case of the lower Cook Group, with effect from the sth May, 1924. Depositors at Rarotonga are now able to withdraw on demand, and those on the adjacent islands can obtain repayment upon warrants issued at Rarotonga. The facilities provided are much appreciated, and already habits of thrift are being inculcated and fostered, to the ultimate benefit of the Natives. MOTOR TRANSPORT. During the past five years the Department's fleet of motor-vehicles has increased very considerably. The three main reasons for this growth are, firstly, the endeavour to cope with the ever-increasing demand for telegraph and telephone extension, coupled with the necessity of maintaining existing telegraph and telephone systems in an efficient state, and converting earth-working lines to metallic on account of the hydro - electric works in progress throughout the Dominion ; secondly, the Government's direction to the Department to assume control of Government motor-vehicles in the four centres ; and, finally, the undertaking by the Department in the larger centres of all services in connection with the transport of mails, delivery of parcels, and clearance of letter-receiving boxes. The number of vehicles in use on the 31st March, 1925, was 461, while sixty vehicles ordered had not been delivered by the suppliers. Even the above fleet is insufficient for present needs, and it will be necessary during the ensuing year to add to the fleet of light trucks and lorries in order to meet the requirements of the telegraph and telephone works in progress. RAILWAY STRIKE. During the period of the railway strike, from the 22nd to the 29th April, 1924, and until the resumption of the normal railway service, it was necessary for the Department to make other arrangements for the transport of mails usually carried by the Railway Department. Through the very complete arrangements made by the Department little inconvenience was occasioned the public so far as the receipt and despatch of mails were concerned. By co-operating with newspaper companies and motor-proprietors, expeditious transport of mails was arranged at a minimum cost. In many instances, however, the Department found that it was more economical to use its own motor-vehicles for this purpose. The principal services performed by the Department were : Auck land-He] ensvi 11 e, Auckland-Mercer, Christchurch-Dunedin, Dunedin-Milton, Greymouth-Nelson, Invercargill-Clinton, Napier-Woodville, Wellington-Napier, and Wellington - New Plymouth. The total additional expenditure incurred by the Department for the carriage of mails until normal train services were resumed was approximately £3,200. INTERCOLONIAL NIGHT LETTER-TELEGRAM. The night-letter-telegram service, which was introduced between the Dominion and Australia on the Ist May, 1924, and which has proved so popular, was extended to Fiji on the Ist December. The number of night letter-telegrams exchanged with the Commonwealth at present is approximately six thousand per annum, involving a transmission of about a million and a half words.

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RADIO BROADCASTING. With a view to establishing a first-class radio broadcasting service throughout the Dominion, provision was made in the Post and Telegraph Amendment Act, 1924, for the Minister of Telegraphs to enter into an agreement for any period not exceeding five years with any person or company who, in consideration of certain, payments, agrees to undertake and maintain a broadcasting service to the satisfaction of the Minister. Under the scheme a broadcasting licensee is required to erect a 500-watt broadcasting station in each of the four radio districts —Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington. A broadcasting station may be used only for matter of educative, informative, or entertaining character, and a service of a minimum duration of twelve hours weekly (excluding Sunday transmission) is required to be maintained by each station. A broadcasting company is at present in the process of formation, and it is hoped that in a few months' time " listeners-in " will be enabled to enjoy programmes much in advance of anything that has hitherto been available. Until the new company materializes, arrangements have been made for the existing stations at the four centres to continue broadcasting on payment to each of these stations by the Department of a subsidy of £15 per week. AMATEUR WIRELESS LICENSES. In view of the operation of the broadcasting regulations from the Ist of April, 1925, it was necessary to terminate all licenses on the 31st March. From the Ist April, 1925, the annual fee for a radio receiving-station license is raised from ss. to £l 10s. This is rendered necessary by the fact that payment has now to be made to the broadcasting companies for services rendered. Radio receiving licenses, which hitherto have been issued only from the General Post Office, Wellington, may now be obtained at any money-order office in the Dominion. WIRELESS PRESS NEWS TO SHIPS AT SEA. During the latter part of 1924 arrangements were made to forward daily to ships at sea a wireless message containing Press news. The service commenced on the 12th January, 1925. The message, which is prepared in the General Post Office, contains from one hundred to two hundred words of New Zealand news, and is broadcasted from Radio-Awanui on a wave-length of 2,000 metres. The service is free of all charges, and is available to all ships and coast stations within range. Information has been received that the message is accepted and posted up for public information on the majority of ships in the Pacific trading with New Zealand, and the news contained therein is much appreciated by passengers. REDUCED CABLE RATES. During the year a considerable reduction was made in the rate for cable messages exchanged with Canada and Europe. The ordinary rate to Great Britain and Ireland was reduced by sd. per word. The rates to Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, and Switzerland were reduced by 6d. per word by both the Pacific and the Eastern routes, and to other places in Europe the reduction per word was sd. via Pacific and 6d. via Eastern. The charge on full-rate messages to Canada was lowered by 3d. per word. In all cases a proportionate reduction was made on British Government and deferred messages. The concessions represent a reduction of between 16 and 18 per cent., and should have the effect of appreciably stimulatingcable traffic. The rates for daily letter and week-end messages were not, however, altered in any way. INLAND NIGHT LETTER-TELEGRAMS. The inland night letter-telegram may be regarded as one of the most popular innovations ever introduced by my Department. It is evident that these telegrams are greatly favoured for social purposes, and that the business man also is using the system extensively. The number of night letter-telegrams forwarded last year was 215,473, which produced a revenue of £10,535 ; these figures represent an increase of 103 per cent, in the number of this class of telegram forwarded last year, and an increase in revenue of 99 per cent.

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WORK PERFORMED FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS. The various Departments of the Government Service continue to make the fullest use of the Post Office for the collection of revenue and the disbursement of sums due. The cost of work for other Departments when performed by my Department is trifling compared with what it would be if the work at the many agencies throughout the Dominion were undertaken by the Departments chiefly responsible for it— a step unnecessary at present, as in the working of the agencies the Post Office renders efficient service, and in the performance of this work it long ago won the confidence of the public. Were the Post Office to be relieved of the work it now performs in the behalf of other Departments, it requires little imagination to appreciate what the increased cost of administration would be to the Departments concerned. The ease with which the Post Office can handle Dominion-wide undertakings such as the registration and licensing of motor-vehicles is largely due to the flexibility of its accounting system, which is framed to admit of practically unlimited extension without the machinery becoming strained. The treatment necessary to the different classes of transactions which call for special knowledge to comply with the requirements of the various Departments is little less varied than the amounts, which range from one shilling to thousands of pounds ; while the duties of a Postmaster range from the paying of a voucher to the performance of the marriage ceremony. MONEY-ORDERS. Money-order business for the year shows a marked increase, the money-orders issued exceeding those of last year by approximately fifty thousand in number and by £300,000 in value. On the Ist April, 1924, a substantial reduction was made in the rate of commission, but so great has been the expansion of business that the total commission earned during the year exceeds that earned during the previous year by £184. The system of trade-charge money-orders introduced some few years ago for the purpose of providing for payment on delivery of the value of parcels despatched to or from the United Kingdom is growing in popularity. The number of orders issued on the United Kingdom for the year was 3,545, and the amount remitted £12,106 6s. sd. When it becomes more widely known that a person in New Zealand may order goods from England and pay for them at this end on arrival the system will be used more largely. SAVINGS-BANKS. In the earlier part of the financial year the opportunities for safe investment of funds in securities yielding a larger rate of interest than the Post Office Savingsbank can afford to give tempted a larger number than usual of the banks' clients to transfer some of their deposits, with the result that the withdrawals exceeded the deposits. This condition of affairs, however, was only transitory. The returns for each of the first three months of 1925 disclosed an excess of deposits over withdrawals amounting in all to no less a sum than £405,577, as against £302,662 for the same period in 1924. The fact that the Postmaster-General may now pay up to £200 to the legal representative of a deceased depositor without requiring him to take out letters of administration or prove any will which may have been left, together with the provision whereby a depositor may nominate one or more persons to receive a portion or the whole of the amount at credit of the account after his death, serves to enable the widow or other members of the family of a deceased depositor to get possession of often much-needed funds without cost and without delay. One of the most striking facts in connection with the Post Office Savings-bank is its great popularity. The present estimated population of the Dominion is 1,324,966, and of these people no less than 735,148 are depositors in the bank. The number is 55"48 per cent., which must easily be a record for any bank in the world. SAFE-DEPOSIT SYSTEM. Sealed packets containing securities, insurance policies, deeds, wills, or other paper or parchment documents are accepted for custody at all money-order offices, in charge of permanent officers. The service, for which only a nominal charge is

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made, is exactly suited to the host of people whose circumstances do not justify the employment of other means to safeguard their valuable papers against loss by fire or burglary. Notwithstanding the facilities provided by the Department, there is ample evidence that people still resort to all sorts of unsuitable methods of protecting their valuables. It is by no means uncommon to have submitted the charred remains of documents which have been stored in tins or cash-boxes, or again, pulped paper, the remains of documents that have been buried in a back garden for safety. POSTMASTER-GENERAL: RELINQUISHING OF OFFICE. My colleague, the Hon. J. G. Coates, who assumed charge of the Department on the 4th September, 1919, did not relinquish control until the 31st ultimo ; consequently the report herein is a record of the transactions undertaken during his tenure of office. DETAILS OF REVENUE, ETC. Matters of detail with reference to the financial operations and business of the Department will be found at length in the statement and tables which follow. I have the honour to be, Your Excellency's most obedient servant, C. J. Parr, Postmaster- General. General Post Office, Wellington, 6th July, 1925.

POST AND TELEGRAPH REVENUE for Years 1900 to 1925 in Graphic Form

POST AND TELEGRAPH EXPENDITURE for Years 1900 to 1925 in Graphic Form

ANNUAL REVENUE. Postal, Telegraph, and Telephone Branches. For twelve years ended 31st March, 1925.

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STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL OPERATIONS AND BUSINESS OF TH DEPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1925.

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS. The receipts and payments of the Department for the financial year 1924-25 are shown in the following table : —

Receipts and Payments for the Years 1881-82, 1891-92, 1901-2, 1911-12, and following Years.

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Item. Postal. Telegraph. Total. Receipts. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. u Postages .. .. .. .. .. .. 988,386 15 .. 988,386 15 11| Money-order and postal-note commission .. .. 50,703 18 11 .. 50.703 18 11 Money-order commission received from foreign offices .. 938 15 11 .. 938 15 11 Private box and bag rents and rural delivery fees .. 49,856 4 2 .. 49,856 4 2 Miscellaneous receipts .. .. .. .. 168,056 1 5 15,189 4 8J 183,245 6 1| Paid telegrams .. .. .. .. .. .. 404,707 6 0 404,707 6 0 Paid tolls .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 344,393 4 1| 344,393 4 IJ Telephone exchange rentals and miscellaneous .. .. .. 867,218 6 3 867.218 6 3~ Totals .. .. .. .. 1,257,941 16 4£ 1,631,508 1 1 2,889,449 17 5| Payments. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Salaries .. .. .. .. .. .. 602,832 0 1 886,494 1 1 1,489,326 1 2 Conveyance of ocean mails .. .. .. .. 76,424 13 2 .. 76,424 13 2 Conveyance of inland mails .. .. .. .. 134,010 10 0 .. 134,010 10 0 Conveyance of mails by rail.. .. .. .. 102,023 3 3 .. 102,023 3 3 Money-order commission credited to foreign offices .. 2,821 8 10 .. 2,821 8 10 Maintenance of telegraph and telephone lines .. .. .. 234,284 1 7 2.34,284 1 7 Motor services and workshops .. .. .. 37,144 6 6 33,968 11 6 71,112 18 0 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. .. 151,273 11 2 154,980 16 6 306,254 7 8 1,106,529 13 0 1,309,727 10 8 2,416,257 3 8 Balance of receipts over payments .. .. .. 151,412 3 4-| 321,780 10 5 473,192 13 9£ Totals .. .. .. .. 1,257,94116 4| 1,631,508 1 1 2,889,449 17 5£

Year. Receipts. Payments. Balance of Receipts Excess of Payment? • over Payments. over Receipts. £ £ £ £ 1881-1882 .. .. .. .. 234,529 233,291 1,238 1891-1892 .. .. .. .. 320,058 268,343 51,715 1901-1902 .. .. .. .. 488,573 465,756 22,817 1911-1912 .. .. .. .. 1,087,710 988,911 98,799 1912-1913 .. .. .. .. 1,167,826 1,069,272 98,554 1913-1914 .. .. .. .. 1,269,921 1,173,314 96,607 I 1914-1915 .. .. .. .. 1,359,059 1,246,850 112,209 1915-1916 .. .. .. .. 1,695,757 1,296,522 399,235 1916-1917 .. .. .. .. 1,809,317 1,370,810 438,507 ! 1917-1918 .. .. .. .. 1,837,260 1,489,446 347,814 j 1918-1919 .. .. .. .. 1,972,539 1,702,048 270,491 ! 1919-1920 .. .. .. .. 2,106,995 1,944,161 162,834 1920-1921 .. .. .. .. 2,590,441 2,591,786 .. 1,345 1921-1922 .. .. .. .. 2,811,535 2,451,571 359,964 1922-1923 .. .. .. .. 2,687,768 2,114,994 572,774 1923-1924 .. .. .. .. 2,688,954 2,120,584 568,370 1924-1925 .. .. .. .. 2,889,450 2,416,257 473,193

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STAFF.

Comparative Return op Persons employed in the Post and Telegraph Department on the Ist April, 1924 and 1925. The total number of persons employed on the Ist April, 1924 and 1925, was as under : — Ist April, Ist April, Permanent stafl — 1924. 1925. Administrative Division .. .. . . . . 4 4 Clerical and Engineering Divisions .. .. .. 3,218 3,321 General Division .. .. .. .. .. 4,495 4,559 7,717 7,884 Temporary staff .. .. .. .. .. .. 243 306 Casual staff .. .. .. .. .. .. 970 2,194 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 8,930 10,384 Non-permanent staff— Country Postmasters and Telephonists .. .. .. 2,074 2,031 Postmasters who are Railway officers .. .. .. 102 99 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 11,106 12,514 Health of Permanent Staff. The following table gives the average absence of officers on sick-leave : — Number Average Absence Average Absence on per Sick for each Officer Staff. Officer. employed. Men .. .. .. .. 6,919 10-2 4-2 Women .. .. .. . 961 13-8 8-2 Twenty officers died during the year. Casual Staff. Owing to the large number of new works being undertaken by the Engineering Branch it has been found necessary to double the casual staff of workmen. Personal. Mr. Markman returned from the Stockholm Conference on the 22nd December, and resumed his secretarial duties immediately. A regrettable incident occurred on the 17th December last, when Mr. J. J. France, Postmaster, Eketahuna, lost his life whilst making inquiries in respect of the views of the settlers concerning the' Eketahuna-Pahiatua rural delivery. The motor-car conveying the officer referred to was precipitated into a gully off the Kaitawa-Hinemoa Road, and Mr. France died as a result of the injuries which he sustained. Apart from slight injuries and shock, the other occupants of the car escaped unhurt. APPEAL BOARD. The Post and Telegraph Board of Appeal, under the chairmanship of E. C. Cutten, Esq., S.M., sat on three occasions during the year. 486 appeals were dealt with, of which one was allowed by the Board and four were, conceded by the Department. Only seventy-eight appeals against the reclassification of officers as from the Ist April, 1924, were lodged, not one of which was allowed. DEPARTMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE CLASSES. The departmental correspondence classes, which are still being continued, were extended during the year so that tuition in matters pertaining to machine-printing telegraphy could be provided for officers. The first instructional term for this subject is now in session. Keen interest is being displayed in this new branch of the Department's activities. Tuition is now provided for nine departmental examinations, and during the year 761 students were enrolled for tuition. Of the total number who were examined, 80 per cent, gained passes—a sufficient indication of the high standard of instruction. EXAMINATIONS. During the year 1924-25 the number of officers who sat for efficiency examinations was 2,267, of which number 1,247 were either wholly or partially successful. " HOUSEHOLDER " CIRCULARS. The revenue from this class of matter for the period Ist April, 1924-, to 31st March, 1925, was £4,847, as against £4,845 for the preceding twelve months. A concession rate of §d. for each packet up to 2 oz. is payable when circulars to the number of 250,000 are posted by one sender at one time. It is expected that the concession will result in increased business.

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POST AND TELEGRAPH AMENDMENT ACT, 1924. The Post and Telegraph Act was amended in 1924. It is made an offence lor any person to defraud the revenue by means of improper use of telephones. Paragraph (e), subsection (1), of section 87 of the principal Act, which provides that every person is liable to a fine not exceeding £50 who is concerned in any fraudulent act, contrivance, or device, whatsoever, for which no specific penalty is provided, with intent to defraud His Majesty of any of the rates or duties under the Act, is made to apply to the telegraph side as well as the postal side of the service. The powers conferred upon the Governor-General by section 133 of the principal Act to make regulations are widened to include the power to make regulations regarding the inspection of tele grams by authorized persons. Provision is made for the licensing of dealers in wireless apparatus, and for a portion of the license fees received to be applied in assistance of broadcasting agencies. Provision is made also for persons or companies authorized to maintain broadcasting service to be deemed, for the purposes of the law relating to patents, agents of the Post and Telegraph Department. The amount at credit of a deceased depositor in the Post Office Savings-bank which the PostmasterGeneral may pay without requiring probate or letters of administration is increased from £100 to £200. POSTAL UNION CONGRESS AT STOCKHOLM, 1924. The Eighth Postal Union Congress assembled at Stockholm on the 4tli July, 1924. The Stockholm Congress marked the fiftieth anniversary of the formation of the Postaf Union. With the exception of Austria and five small Latin-American States, all countries of the Union were represented. The Congress was attended by 180 delegates and attaches, New Zealand being represented by the Secretary of the Department, Mr. A. T. Markman. The Congress, which was held in the Parliament Buildings, Stockholm, was formally opened by Their Majesties the King and Queen of Sweden. The deliberations of the Congress extended over nearly two months, the final sitting, at which the authorized conventions and arrangements were signed by the delegates of the Union countries, being held on the 28th August. Notwithstanding the fact that only four years had elapsed since the Madrid Congress, the agenda paper was a very lengthy one. During the period that Congress sat there were held twenty-five sittings of the Eirst Committee (Principal Convention), thirteen sittings of the Second Committee (Postal Parcels and Insured Articles), seven sittings of the Third Committee (Money-orders, Collection Orders, Newspaper Subscriptions, and Postal Cheque System), and ten sittings of the Fourth Committee (Committee for the Revision and Preparation of Texts adopted by other Committees). In addition, two sub-committees dealt respectively with the cash-on-delivery system and with the standardization of forms, and revision of the regulations so far as they concerned the make-up and exchange of mails. Attempts had been made at each Congress to deprive the British Dominions of the right to vote individually, or to restrict their voting-power. It was claimed in some quarters that the Dominions voted always with Great Britain, and that to accord them the right to vote would simply increase the voting-power of Great Britain. For many years the right of Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, and South Africa to vote was given by a special clause in the Convention, but this clause was always subject to attack. The Dominions considered that they, as Sovereign States, parties to the Convention and absolutely independent Postal Administrations, were entitled in this connection to be placed beyond attack. A proposal to treat British India and the Dominions of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa as metropolitan countries as regards their status in the Union was carried without objection. Congress also granted without opposition a separate vote to the Irish Free State ; but the request of the Soviet's delegates that the Union of Soviet Republics be granted four votes instead of one vote was rejected. The Madrid (1920) Congress decided that the basis of the settlement of transit accounts would be theoretical gold francs. The Stockholm Congress defined the gold franc as weighing if. of a gramme of gold with a fineness of -9. Certain countries desired to see postage-rates reduced while others pressed for an increase. It was eventually decided to adopt as a minimum a reduction of 20 per cent, on the rates which existed under the Rome (1906) Convention, and as a maximum an increase of 60 per cent, on those rates. The rates agreed upon at Rome were : Letters, 25 centimes (2|d.) for the first 20 grammes or 1 oz., 15 centimes (l|d.) for each succeeding 20 grammes or 1 oz. ; post-cards, 15 centimes (ljd.) ; printed papers, commercial papers, and samples, 5 centimes (Jd.) per 50 grammes (2 oz.), with a minimum of 25 centimes (2Jd.) for commercial papers and 10 centimes (Id.) for samples. The minimum surcharge to be collected on unpaid and insufficiently prepaid correspondence was reduced from 30 centimes (3d.) to 10 centimes (Id.). The maximum registration fee and the fee for an advice of delivery of a registered article were fixed at 40 centimes (4d.) ; but countries which are unable to fix the registration fee as low as 40 centimes (4d.) are permitted to adopt a fee not exceeding 50 centimes (5d.). It is now laid down that a letter must not contain any indication, note, or document addressed to a person other than the addressee of the letter. In the international service, letters and post-cards unpaid or insufficiently prepaid will, as heretofore, be accepted, but the postage on reply post-cards, printed papers, commercial papers, samples, and literature for the blind must be fully prepaid. The maximum size of post-cards and the maximum length of samples were increased.

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It was decided to admit letters containing dutiable articles subject to the country of destination agreeing to admit letters containing such articles. In order to facilitate handling through the Customs, the letters must bear a special green label. Provision was also made for the country of destination to charge on letters containing dutiable articles a Customs clearance fee not exceeding 50 centimes (5d.). Under the Madrid Convention the use in the international service of panel envelopes —i.e., envelopes with transparent panels through which the name and address of the addressee can be read was prohibited unless the panels formed an integral part of the envelope. In so far as unregistered correspondence is concerned, this provision has been relaxed to permit of the use in the international service of a " two-piece " panel envelope. It is now forbidden to forward by post samples forwarded in numbers with a view to avoidance of Customs duty, money, bank-notes, jewellery or precious stones, sent in unregistered packets, and any articles used in wrapping which is likely to injure postal officers. In order to conform with the revised postage-rate the minimum selling-price of the Reply Coupon has been reduced from 50 gold centimes to 40 gold centimes. The accounting in connection with reply coupons has been simplified. Congress rejected a proposal to substitute in place of the Reply Coupon a Reply s tamp. Many Administrations make a practice of charging " late fee " on correspondence posted after the usual hour of collection. The right so to do was recognized by Congress. A proposal to introduce into the letter-post a new class of postal packet called " small packets," intended to contain sma-ll quantities of merchandise and to be transmissible at a reduced rate, was strongly opposed by the delegates of the British Post Office. It was ultimately decided not to admit the new class of packet, but to permit of the inclusion of dutiable articles in packets prepaid at the letter rate provided the country of destination agrees to admit packets containing such articles. It is forbidden to affix to the address side of correspondence non-postal stamps, charity stamps, &c., liable to be mistaken for postage-stamps, and impressions of stamps liable to be confused with impressions of franking-machines. The regulations regarding the method of packing of samples, and the regulations regarding manuscript additions to printed papers and commercial papers, were subject to minor modifications. It is now permissible to add in manuscript to illustrated cards, good wishes, congratulations, thanks, condolences, and other formulae of courtesies expressed in five words at most or by means of five conventional initials. Letters intended for registration must not bear any indication of having been opened and reclosed before posting. Administrations are now required to make provision for punishing individuals found guilty of counterfeiting international reply coupons and identity cards, or for the fraudulent use of such. The Congress authorizes countries to stop correspondence originating in its own territory from being sent abroad to be posted in a foreign country. The Madrid Congress decided to dispense with the date-stamping of correspondence on receipt at the office of destination. The office of destination must now date-stamp, on the front, redirected letters and redirected and undelivered post-cards, and on the back, undelivered letters. The question of transit rates (i.e., charges made by one country for conveying over its territory mail-matter from a second country for a third country) has always been one of the most contentious and difficult matters requiring the attention of Congress. At Stockholm, representatives of countries that deal with only limited quantities of transit mail-matter made very strenuous efforts to secure the abolition of transit charges. The adoption of such a proposal would have been unfair to many countries. After a long discussion reduced rates were agreed to. The statistics for calculating the payment due for the transit of correspondence are to be taken every five years instead of every three years. The result of the statistics taken in October-November of 1924 will be applied to the years 1924-28 inclusive, and the statistics of May, 1929, to the years 1929-33 inclusive. Provision is made for the transit rates payable under the Madrid Convention being applied up to Ist October, 1925, the date on which the Stockholm Convention comes into operation. The Madrid Convention provided for a charge of 50 centimes (5d.) per bag for the warehousing of mails belonging to another Administration. This charge has been applied to mails transferred from one mail-ship to another where the country concerned does not receive a land or sea transit rate for the mails. The failure on the part of an Administration to return empty mail-bags to the country of origin will in future render the Administration concerned responsible for the value of the bags not returned. Congress decided that, as far as possible, the various forms used in the international postal service were to be of a given uniform size and shape. One of the principal forms concerned was the letter-bill. This form was specially modelled, and now shows in a convenient manner the various details concerning the mail to which it relates. In future documents relating to the international postal service are to be retained for a minimum period of two years before being destroyed. At the present time the insured-letter service is restricted to letters containing bank-notes, coupons, unobliterated postage-stamps, securities, and other documents of the kind. From the Ist October documents of value such as deeds, plans, contracts, autographs, rare manuscripts, &c., may also be sent by insured-letter post with the proviso that where documents have a value by reason of the cost of their preparation the insured value may not exceed the cost of replacing them in case of loss. Accounting in connection with insured-letter post has been suspended since 1915. It was decided at Stockholm to abolish accounting for insured letters. Congress also decided to adopt a flat scale of insurance fees. The insurance fee was fixed at 50 centimes (5d.) for every 300 francs (£l2) of insured

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value, iti addition to the fixed registration fee. Redirection charges on insured letters redirected from one country to another have been abolished. This was made possible as a result of the decision to abolish accounting for insured letters. Congress dealt with many other matters, but the foregoing may be regarded as the principal results. The changes instituted by the Congress come into force on the Ist October, 1925. Arrangements for the holding of the Congress were admirably carried out. The Swedish House of Parliament at Stockholm was at the entire disposal of the delegates, who were hospitably treated by the Government and the people as a whole. Before Congress disbanded a special committee composed of representatives of several Administrations was set up to study ways and means of shortening the sittings of future Congresses. The next Congress will meet in London in 1929. MOTOR REGISTRATION. Under the Motor-vehicles Act, 1924, which came into operation on the Ist January, 1925, the work of registering and of licensing motor-vehicles, and supplying registration-plates, is entrusted to the Post and Telegraph Department. The scheme has involved the Department in a considerable amount of additional work. This was especially heavy in the months of January and February. Throughout the year the work requires the full time of several officers in the General Post Office and chief post-offices, and the part time of many officers at sub-offices. The amount of work involved will more readily be appreciated when it is pointed out that up to the end of March approximately 100,000 motor-vehicles of all descriptions had been registered and licensed. In addition, many notifications of change of ownership, notifications of change in situation of garage, and applications for dealers' registration-plates had been dealt with. The Department has catered well for motorists in the direction of affording them every reasonable facility for registering their vehicles without undue delay or inconvenience. Most permanent Postmasters have been appointed Deputy Registrars of Motor-vehicles, and are thus enabled to accept applications for and issue registration certificates, licenses, and registration-plates. In addition, each Postmaster who has not been appointed a Deputy Registrar, but is in charge of a money-order office, and each Postmistress in charge of a money-order office, has been authorized to accept applications for registration and license, and to collect the prescribed fees. The applications accepted by such officers are dealt with by the nearest Deputy Registrar, who forwards the required documents and registration-plates to the Postmaster or Postmistress concerned for delivery to the vehicle-owner. Motor-vehicles may be registered and licensed at almost every village in the Dominion. It can safely be said that no other Department of State could have made such complete arrangements. The system of operation drawn up by the Department has worked smoothly from the commencement. In view of the fact that the Register of Motor-vehicles is the first of its kind in the Dominion, the successful and smooth working of the system is a matter for satisfaction. For its work in connection with motor registration the Department receives in respect of each annual license issued the sum of Is. 6d. This sum is deducted from the amount of the license fee. Fuller information regarding motor-registration is given in the annual report to Parliament of the Hon. the Minister of Internal Affairs. CINEMATOGRAPH-FILMS. Owing to their highly inflammable nature, cinematograph-films have long been looked upon as dangerous goods for carriage by post. In England and other countries cinematograph - films are accepted for transmission by post only under very stringent conditions as to packing. It was felt that the New Zealand Post Office regulations regarding the transmission of cinematograph-films required to be altered considerably to provide adequate safeguards. As the result of a conference between officers of the Railway and Post and Telegraph Departments, which was also attended by the CTiief Inspector of Explosives and representatives of film houses, it was decided to accept films for transmission by post within the Dominion only when the films are packed in special fireproof containers. The same class of container is used irrespective of whether the films are forwarded by post or by rail. Whether it is intended that a container should be forwarded by post or by rail is indicated by a coloured label attached to the container. As the container, in effect, takes the place of a Post Office parcel receptacle, when forwarded by post it is carried free of charge, postage being charged only on the weight of the films enclosed. The new system came into operation on the Ist November, and it is satisfactory to be able to report, after four months' working, that no complaints concerning it have been received. As regards films posted in the Dominion for transmission to places beyond the Dominion, it is sufficient if such films are enclosed in tin boxes, which must in turn be enclosed in strong outer wooden boxes, or wrapped in a stout material which is not a good conductor of heat. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS : POSTAGE-RATES. There are for Government publications and books for lightkeepers posted in bulk special postagerates, known as " bulk rates," which vary from 2d. to 3d. per pound of separate packages weighed together. The system was introduced in 1907 to meet the convenience of a Government Department which desired to post under the system packets each weighing 2 lb. With the growth of the system, publications of very light weight, as well as those weighing 2 lb. or more, were posted at bulk rates. With the posting at bulk rates of packages of light weight the Post Office lost a considerable amount of revenue. For instance, sixty-four separately addressed packages, each weighing £ oz., if posted at the bulk rate of 3d. per pound brought in by way of postage only 3d., while the same sixty-four packages if posted singly at ordinary printed-paper rates brought in by way of postage 2s. Bd.

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In order to reduce the loss of revenue it was decided during the year to limit the application of bulk rates to separately addressed packages weighing not less than 4 oz. While this restriction does not entirely eliminate loss to the Post Office, it goes a long way towards that desirable end. With a minimum weight of 4 oz., four packages each weighing 4 oz., if posted at the bulk rate of 3d. per pound, yield in postage 3d. The same four packages if posted singly at printed-paper rates yield in postage only 4d. It will be seen, therefore, that bulk rates still offer to senders a postage concession. The concession amounts to approximately a 25-per-cent. reduction on ordinary postage-rates. EXPLOSION AT MOTUEKA. In July an explosion occurred at the Motueka Post-office, in a small detached building used as an engine-shed ; and, unfortunately, it resulted in the death of an exchange clerk through burns and shock. It is believed, although there is no evidence to support the theory, that fumes given off from benzine stored in the shed exploded through coming in contact with a naked light carried by the deceased on his visiting the shed for the purpose of filling a kerosene-lamp. The Coroner's finding was that no blame could be attributed to any one. GOVERNMENT LIFE INSURANCE AGENCIES. Owing to the growth of Post and Telegraph work at certain offices it was found that the work entailed by Government Insurance business seriously interfered with the legitimate duties of the controlling officers, and the Government Insurance Department was requested to make other arrangements for the conduct of its business. After some delay satisfactory arrangements were completed. The offices relieved of Government insurance work are Blenheim, Oamaru, Thames, Westport, Palmerston North, Hastings, Dannevirke, Hawera, Whangarei, Ashburton, and Gore. TRANSFER OF OFFICES. On the Ist July, 1924, the Opotiki office and a number of small offices in the vicinity were transferred from the Thames Postal District to the Gisborne Postal District. On the same date four offices on the Coromandel Peninsula were transferred from the Auckland Postal District to the Thames Postal District. In each case the change was made with a view to meeting better the requirements of the district. CUSTODY OF DUPLICATE KEY OF SAFE OR STRONG-ROOM. The safe-deposit system was extended during the year to allow of Government Departments depositing with the Post Office for safe custody packets containing duplicate keys of safes or strongrooms. OVERSEAS MAILS. Correspondence for Great Britain, Ireland, and the Continent of Europe continues to be forwarded by contract steamers via Vancouver and via San Francisco, except when a vessel sailing via Panama offers a quicker despatch than the next contract steamer, or when correspondence is specially addressed for despatch by a particular vessel or route. Mails from Great Britain and Ireland are still received via Vancouver, via San Francisco, via Panama, and via Suez. During 1924 the average time occupied in transit of mails from New Zealand to London was in the case of despatches via Vancouver thirty-one days, and in the case of despatches via San Francisco, thirty clays. From London to New Zealand the average time occupied in transmission by both routes was thirty-three days. Since the Ist April, 1924, the date of the coming into operation of the new contracts, the average time occupied on the inward voyage by both routes has been reduced to thirty-two days. Early in 1924 alternative tenders were called in New Zealand and abroad for services between Auckland and Vancouver, Wellington and San Francisco, and Wellington and London, via Panama, and, although wide publicity of the Department's requirements was given through the Press, no tender was received. Negotiations were thereupon entered into with the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand (Limited) —the former contractors —for the carriage of mails between Auckland and Vancouver and between Wellington and San Francisco. Contracts were subsequently arranged for a period of five years from the Ist April, 1924, the subsidies payable being the same as under the former contracts —i.e., £20,000 per annum for the Vancouver service, and £25,000 per annum for the San Francisco service. Included in the contract, however, is a proviso that the contractors may, at any time after the completion of the second year of the contract, give the Post-master-General in writing one year's notice of the intention of the contractors to terminate the contract. Fairly satisfactory terms were also made regarding freight charges. The contracts for both the Vancouver and San Francisco services provide for despatches at four-weekly intervals from Auckland and Wellington respectively, and the time-tables are so arranged that the two services alternate, giving a regular fortnightly service to and from America. The contract time of the voyages between Auckland and Vancouver and vice versa, and between Wellington and San Francisco and vice versa, is eighteen days, which is a speeding-up on the old contract time of one day in respect of the Vancouver service and of three days in respect of the San Francisco service. In the early part of the year 1925 the Union Steamship Company added to its fleet the "Aorangi." This vessel, which is a motor-ship, and has a speed of 18 knots, was brought into commission on the 6th February, 1925, on which date she left Vancouver for Auckland. The " Aorangi " is a vessel of 18,000 tons, and has accommodation for nine hundred passengers. The vessel generally, including the accommodation, is much in advance of anything previously provided for the service. The vessel was placed on the Vancouver service, taking the nlace of the R.M.S. " Makura," which

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vessel replaced the R.M.S. " Maunganui" on the San Francisco service. A satisfactory service was maintained over both the Vancouver and San Francisco routes during the year. The R.M.S. " Niagara" and the R.M.M.S. " Aorangi " are now employed on the Vancouver service, and the R.M.S. " Tahiti " and R.M.S. " Makura " on the San Francisco service. On occasions when the time for transferring mails between the Pacific and Atlantic coasts was limited there was a danger of the mails from New Zealand missing connection with the fast Atlantic liners sailing from New York on Wednesdays. The Secretary, on his way to the Postal Union Congress at Stockholm, investigated the method of handling New Zealand mails in transit through the United States of America. As a result, this Administration's mails are enabled to make the connection at New York, notwithstanding that the time available is so short. This Dominion is indebted to the United States postal and railway officials for their valued co-operaion. INTERCOLONIAL MAIL-SERVICES. The mail-service between New Zealand and Australia and vice versa was well maintained during the year. INLAND MAIL-SERVICES. As a result of torrential rain on the 3rd and 4th April, 1924, a heavy flood occurred in the North Auckland district, between Helensville and Paparoa, disorganizing communication by rail and road. It became necessary to hire a launch to convey between Helensville and Port Albert and Batley mails for a number of offices inland. The northern Taranaki district also suffered similarly, the WaitaraAwakino and Stratford-Tahora routes being completely blocked for some days. The Main Trunk Bxpress, which ran into a landslide near Te Kuiti, narrowly escaped disaster. On the 19th May, 1924, the river-boat " Wai-iti," which was conveying mails on the Wanganui River, was wrecked about two miles from Taumarunui through the breaking-down of the steering-gear. A small quantity of mail-matter was lost. On the 12th May, 1924, the s.s. " Ngahere " was wrecked at the entrance to Greymouth Harbour. One bag of mail, Hokitika for Wellington, was lost. On the 26th May, 1924, mails from Port Levy to Lyttelton were lost by the capsizing of the launch " Toitoi " at the Lyttelton Heads. In May, 1924, owing to heavy rain, the Takaka township became flooded, and mail-services in the Takaka and Collingwood districts suffered interruption. Similarly, in the same month, serious floods between Te Aroha, Waihi, and Thames disorganized railway and road communication. Low-lying areas were inundated, and difficulty was experienced in transporting mails. Towards the end of May, 1924, a heavy storm on the east coast of the North Island, which lasted nearly a week, prevented all mail communication with offices north of Tokomaru Bay. Rural-mails. There are now 13,066 rural boxes in use, an increase of 2,454 over the number in use last year. The number of rural routes in operation at present is 273, as against 235 last year.

The Ever-widening Circle. —Extension of Rural-delivery Service.

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STOKES BRANCH. The following figures indicate the values of supplies purchased, issued, and remaining in stock for the year ended 31st March, 1925, while those for the previous year are shown for the purposes of comparison : — 1924-25. 1923-24. £ £ Balance, Ist April .. .. .. 289,758 330,577 Purchases .. .. .. 1,018,107 912,923 Issues .. .. .. .. 1,064,275 953,742 Balance, 31st March .. .. 243,590 289,758 The number and value of indents placed for materials and particulars of shipments received during the year, together with the preceding vear's figures, are as follow : — 1924-25. 1923-24. Number of indents . . .. .. .. 482 611 Value .. .. .. .. .. .. £627,345 £686,765 Average value of indent .. .. .. £1,301 10s. £1,124 Shipments received .. .. .. .. 2,266 1,766 Packages received .. .. .. .. .. 266,212 182,060 Average number of packages per shipment .. .. 117 103 During the year greater purchases than heretofore have been made of New-Zealand-manufactured materials ; lead seals and twine are two items, principal supplies of which in previous years had almost entirely been imported. A system of distribution of lead seals, twine, paper, and rural-mail boxes direct from the manufacturers' works to the principal offices throughout the Dominion, has been inaugurated, thus eliminating the double handling and freight charges which would be incurred by consigning the materials to the Department's main stores in Wellington. The rapid extension of the use of motor transport by Government Departments is indicated by the purchase of 245 motor-vehicles of various kinds, against 161 for the previous year. All motor-vehicles for Government use are purchased through the Stores Branch, which, in conjunction with the Stores Control Board, also arranges contracts for motor-lubricants and petrol. Ihe contracts arranged effect considerable savings by fixing prices throughout the Dominion for oils and spirit of standard quality. A contract for the supply of 2,500 30 in. by 3| in. tires and 1,200 tubes to match has recently been arranged, under which all Government Dpartments requiring supplies may purchase them at an estimated saving of 25 per cent, on the former method of buying. Approximately 60 per cent, of the tires and tubes used by Government Departments are of the size stated. Auction sales of second-hand motor-vehicles and miscellaneous material are held periodically at the four centres. At these sales vehicles belonging to other Departments as well as to this Department are offered for sale. The position in regard to supplies of hardwood poles has improved considerably, increased quantities having been received from Australia. The policy of using New Zealand silver-pine poles in certain districts has also assisted in making the position easier. During the year the arrangement by which supplies of material from oversea sources are delivered direct to the port nearest the place at which such material is required was considerably extended. The system is found to be advantageous and economical. Advantage has been taken of the facilities possessed by the High Commissioner for obtaining special rates of freight on goods shipped from the United Kingdom. Where circumstances permit, contracts are arranged f.o.b. United Kingdom port instead of c.i.f. & e. New Zealand ports. AUDIT OF ENGINEERS' STOCK. Early in the year arrangements were completed by which the Chief Inspector was made responsible for the auditing of the large amount of material held at various points for use by officers of the Engineering Division, and two additional officers were placed on the Chief Inspector's staff for this purpose. That the appointments were desirable is evidenced by the increased efficiency that has been disclosed on the occasion of a second visit by these officers to some of the places at which stock is held. WORKSHOPS. The volume of work performed by this branch is steadily growing, as is indicated by the following figures : — 1924-25. 1923-24. Value of work performed for Post and Telegraph Department £49,404 £41,741 Value of work performed for other Government Departments £4,245 £4,027 Totals .. .. .. .. £53,649 £45,768 During the year a large number of motor-truck bodies has been manufactured for the Post and Telegraph service and for other Government Departments. The maintenance of the fleet of Government motor-vehicles has also been satisfactorily carried out.

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3—F. 1.

The repair of telegraph and telephone instruments has been continued, whilst the manufacture of new apparatus has been considerably extended during the year, the principal new manufactures being telegraph machine-printing apparatus and automatic slot telephones. Considerable quantities of telegraph arms and arm-combiners have also been produced. The organization of the branch has been extended to include a staff of basketmakers for the manufacture and repair of parcel-post receptacles. One of the basket-makers is a returned soldier~who is blind. MOTOR-VEHICLES. At the 31st March, 1925, the following vehicles were in use : Motor-cars, 100 ; motor-cycles, 136 ; motor-lorries, vans, &c., 225 : total, 461. The Department has adopted the policy of replacing vehicles as soon as their economical life is finished. The old vehicles are disposed of by auction sale. Bodies for new vehicles (except motor-cars) are mostly built in the departmental workshops at Wellington. As a general rule, a body lasts the lifetime of two chassis. The additions to the fleet during the year were arranged principally by calling for tenders, this policy being adopted with very satisfactory results in buying cars, 10 cwt. chassis for parcel and clearance vans and " utility " trucks, ton-truck chassis, and heavy-truck chassis. Wherever possible the Department does its own repairs. At Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington, Napier, Palmerston North, and Wanganui all kinds of repairs are undertaken. At Hamilton, Invercargill, Blenheim, Gisborne, Masterton, and Nelson repairs of a general nature are undertaken, while at most other stations at which vehicles are stationed running repairs are effected by the chauffeurs. Repairs to vehicles owned by other Government Departments also are undertaken. Accurate records are kept in a form which readily facilitates the checking of petrol and oil consumption, number of tires used, cost of repairs, cost per mile, &c., and the preparation of statistics in connection with any or all of the vehicles in use. MISSING POSTAL PACKETS. During 1924 the Department investigated 5,156 inquiries for postal packets alleged to have been posted and not delivered. In 3,325 cases, or considerably more than half the total number, the investigations made by the Post Office resulted in the missing articles being traced or accounted for. These cases may be summarized as follows : Sender responsible for delay, 1,038 ; addressee responsible for delay, 1,042 ; Post Office responsible for delay, 424 ; no delay, or responsibility not fixed, 821 : leaving the disposal of 1,831 postal packets undetermined. On comparing this number with the total number of articles handled, the losses are found to work out at -00001 per cent. The losses include packets inadvertently mislaid before posting or lost after delivery, and packets misappropriated both inside and outside the service.

Postal Packets, 1924. —Ratio of Undeliverable to Delivered.

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The neglect by members of the public to register packets containing readily negotiable articles is a problem which exists in every postal administration in the world. The problem has become so acute that in some countries legislation has been passed making it a criminal offence to post in unregistered covers articles of value. While it should be made clear that at no time has the question of providing similar legislation been considered in the Dominion, the desirability of greater use being made of the registration facilities provided by the Department cannot be stressed too strongly. In the event of an unregistered packet containing valuable articles being reported missing, suspicion inevitably falls upon each person through whose hands the packet would pass, commencing with the person by whom it would be posted and ending with the person to whom it would be delivered. In the event of a registered packet being reported missing—a very rare occurrence—the Department's system permits of the point of loss being determined definitely. In addition, some further degree of security is offered by this system inasmuch as compensation is paid by the Post Office for any registered packet lost in the post. That the people of the Dominion are not making full use of the registration system is evidenced by the number of unregistered packets containing value reported missing each year, and also by the number of packets handled in the Dead Letter Office opened, are found to contain bank-notes and other readily negotiable value. POST OFFICE. ARTICLES DELIVERED. The number of articles delivered in the Dominion, including those received from places beyond New Zealand, during the year 1924, compared with the number in 1923, was as under :• — 1 <)'24 102'! Increase 1 1 Per. Cent. Letters .. .. .. .. 135,795,141 129,463,663 4-89 Post-cards .. .. .. 3,909,557 3,653,179 7-02 Parcels .. .. .. .. 3,644,506 3,544,650 2-82 All otheifarticles .. .. .. 71,362,283 59,201,429 20-54 214,711,487 195,862,921 AVERAGE NUMBER OF LETTERS POSTED PER UNIT OF POPULATION. 1924, 103-7. 1923, 96-2. NUMBER OF POST-OFFICES IN DOMINION. Offices opened during year, 16 ; offices closed during year, 75 ; offices remaining open on 31st December, 1924, 2,071. UNDELIVERABLE POSTAL PACKETS. The following is a comparison of letters and other articles dealt with as undeliverable during the year, compared with those dealt with during 1923 : —

The proportion of undeliverable letters to the total number of letters delivered was 0-45 per cent., as against 043 per cent, in 1923. MISCELLANEOUS. 1924. 1923. Letters and letter-cards posted without addresses .. .. .. .. 17,352 16,173 Letters imperfectly and insufficiently addressed .. .. .. .. 20,335 20,823 Letters bearing libellous addresses intercepted .. .. .. .. 42 56 Registered letters unclaimed .. .. .. .. .. .. 8,762 9,047 Newspapers received without addresses .. .. .. .. .. 4,540 3,893 Other articles received without addresses .. .. .. .. .. 3,937 3,635 Newspapers returned to publishers as undeliverable .. .. .. 28,881 27,780 Articles bearing previously used stamps ~ ~ ~ ~ .. 77 104

Returned direct Returned direct Returned to other Returned to other Destroyed v , to Senders to Senders Administrations Administrations (Senders unknown ,,, , , 6al ' through Chief through Dead through Chief through Dead and Contents of ° a ' Offices. Letter Office. Offices. Letter Office. no Value). I ' J L _ Letters. 1924 .. 235,015 ! 272,653 i 44,854 35,564 14,688 002,774 1923 .. 239,807 j 225,439 j 50,184 | 36,857 16,810 569,097 Other Articles. 1924.., 130,363 6,013 [ 72,926 19,481 .. i 228,783 1923.. | 127,907 4,193 ! 40,653 19.725 ! .. | 192,478

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The Post Office Savings-bank. The Peoples' Bank: See how the Funds grow.

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There were 3,930 packets (other than parcels) dealt with in the Dead Letter Office during 1924. In these cases, by means of tracing-notices, special effort was made to find the senders or addressees. 246 letters from overseas bearing insufficient or wrong addresses were specially dealt with, and a large proportion was delivered. During the year an auction sale of,unclaimed packets and parcels was held, at which 148 bundles of miscellaneous articles and 133 packets of jewellery were sold. The number of " special request " letters returned unopened to senders shows a decrease. If business people realized that a special request for return in the event of non-delivery, printed on an envelope, meant a quicker return of a letter, more would avail themselves of the system. PROHIBITED POSTAL PACKETS. During the year 2,2.14 letters addressed to persons or firms the transmission of correspondence for whom is prohibited under section 28 of the Post and Telegraph Act, 1908, were intercepted and forwarded to the Dead Letter Office. REGISTER OF NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES. Forty-three newspapers were registered for transmission by post, and sixteen were removed from the register. Three magazines were registered, and twelve were removed from the register. The number of registered newspapers on the 31st March was 296, and the number of registered magazines 336. POSTAGE-STAMPS. Up to the 31st December, 1924, New Zealand postage-stamps overprinted for use in Aitutaki, Niue, Penryhn Island, Rarotonga, and Western Samoa had been on sale concurrently with the special pictorial series of stamps issued exclusively for use in the various Islands and Samoa. On the date mentioned, however, all Island and Samoan stamps were withdrawn from sale, except the several special pictorial series, the New Zealand 2§d. stamp overprinted for use in Aitutaki, Niue, and Penryhn, the 2W. and 4d. stamps overprinted for use in Rarotonga, and overprinted stamps of denominations higher than Is. This means that of each denomination of stamps now on sale in respect of the islands named there is only one series. It is proposed to bring the Island stamps further into line by adding a 2|d. denomination to each series of the Island pictorial stamps and a 4d. denomination, in addition, to the Rarotongan series ; the corresi)onding New Zealand overprinted stamps to be withdrawn when the new stamps are issued. When these changes are effected each Island and Western Samoa will have only its own particular series of stamps of denominations ranging from |d. to Is., inclusive. The stamps of the Island pictorial series issued up to December, 1924, wore of the original stocks printed in England. In that month, however, the stock of the Id. Rarotongan stamp became exhausted, and it was necessary to issue supplies of that stamp from a stock printed in New Zealand. As other denominations of Island pictorial stamps become exhausted they also will be reprinted in New Zealand. To meet more effectively the requirements of present postage and telegraph rates, " Official " stamps of the denominations of 2d. and Bd. were withdrawn at the 31st March, 1925, and the denominations of 4d. and 9d. substituted. In July, 1924, a new post-card bearing the |d. stamp of the King George series was issued ; and the stocks of certain issues of post-cards and letter-eards which had been rendered obsolete by reductions in postage-rates were reissued impressed with a lower rate of postage, as follows : The post-card bearing the l£d. King George stamp overprinted " Id." was reissued with the original stamp and overprint cancelled and the J-d. King George stamp printed alongside the cancelled stamp ; and the letter-card bearing the 2d. King George stamp overprinted " l|d." was reissued with the original stamp and overprint cancelled and the Id. " map " stamp of the Dominion printed alongside the cancelled stamp. In connection with the forthcoming Dunedin and South Seas Exhibition it has been decided to issue a commemorative series, the denominations to be £d., Id., and 4d. PARCEL-POST. Insured-parcel Post to the Commonwealth of Australia. The Department was successful in its negotiations with the Post Office of the Commonwealth of Australia for the introduction into the New Zealand - Australia parcel-post service of a system of insurance for parcels. Under the system, which was introduced on the Ist March, 1925, the maximum amount for which any one parcel may be insured is £50. Customs Parcels. The following table shows the declared value of goods received by parcel-post from abroad and the Customs duty thereon; also the declared value of goods despatched by parcel-post. The figures for the years 1924 and 1923 are shown in each case : —■ 1924. 1923. £ «. d. £ s. d. Declared value of received parcels .. 1,333,745 0 0 1,343,726 0 0 Customs duty .. .. .. 277,467 16 7 307,022 6 3 Declared value of forwarded parcels .. 75,572 0 0 73,793 0 0

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Hawera : Assessment oi Customs Duty on Overseas Parcels. In order to prevent delay in delivery of parcels for Hawera on which Customs duty is payable, the Department was asked to constitute Hawera clearing-office for Customs parcels and thus obviate the necessity for such parcels being cleared at New Plymouth. The matter was referred to the Customs Department, which considered that the expense involved would not be warranted; but, as as a compromise, it was arranged for for Hawera to be dealt with at Patea. The change, which is by way of trial, came into operation on the Ist November. BUILDINGS. During the year the Public Works Department arranged for the erection of post-office buildings at each of the following places : Hyde, Middlemarch. Mokauiti, Motu, Ngatea, Ngongotaha, Ohingaiti, Orari, Pokeno, Pongaroa, Pukemiro, St. Andrew's, St. Heliers, Silverdale, Tarras, Te Uku, Waikino, (automatic telephone exchange). Additions were made to the post-office buildings at Horopito, Kaikohe, and Te Aroha. At Whakatane additional accommodation for the post-office was obtained by taking that portion of the post-office building previously in occupation by the Postmaster as residential quarters. Additions were made to the railway-station buildings at Kohuratahi and Tahora to provide accommodation for the post-office. At Greymouth and Napeir combined workshop and garage buildings were erected during the year. Motor-garages were provided at Cambridge and Gore. At Sheffield arrangements were made to lease a building and to adapt it for use as a post-office. Department's business at Albury, which had previously been conducted at the railwaystation, was transferred during the year to another building. The new premises, which are the property of Department, were secured some jyears ago in anticipation of the Department's requirements. At Ashburton the Department secured the freehold of a property previously leased for the purpose of a garage and store. Mention was made in last year's report regarding a [probable addition to the chief-post-oifice building at Gisborne. The work is now in progress. Plans are now in course of preparation for buildings at the following places—Marton, Napier, and Taumarunui ; and for additions to existing buildings at Palmerston North, Hastings, and Wanganui. In connection with street-improvement work in the City of Auckland, Government recently entered into an arrangement with the Auckland City Council for the exchange of certain real estate. The transaction resulted in the transfer of the Auckland East post-office building and site in Shortland Street to the Auckland City Council. The building, which is to be demolished, was a very old structure, and until 1912 it housed the Chief Post-office at Auckland. If the post and telephone office at present conducted in the building is to be continued, new accommodation will require to be found for the office. The manual telephone exchange previously in use at Auckland has been replaced by an automatic telephone exchange, which is housed in a building erected in Wellesley Street. Portion of the Shortland Street building has been used as a store for telegraph and telephone material and as a workshop. It was necessary, therefore, to secure other accommodation for these purposes. This is being provided by means of an addition to the workshop and garage building in Stanley Street. In places at which the Department has in commission petrol-driven vehicles, and where the circumstances warrant it, suitable arrangements require to be made for the storage and delivery of motorspirit. Storage of spirit is provided by means of steel tanks placed underground, and delivery is made by means of a pump. The capacity of petrol tanks varies from 200 to 1,000 gallons, and the pumps are of two types, the measuring type and the non-measuring type. POSTAL NOTES. The popularity of the method of remitting small sums to places within the Dominion by means of postal notes is ever increasing. Postal-note business again shows a decided increase, the sales for the year ended 31st March, 1925, being 2,846,333, of a total value of £860,000, an increase in sales over the previous year of 193,556 in numbers and £55,685 in value. The commission derived from this source during the past year totalled £19,470 Iss. lid., being an increase of £1,274 4s. on that earned in the year 1923-24. BRITISH POSTAL ORDERS. The sale of British postal orders also shows a very marked increase : 132,348 orders were sold, of a value of £75,553 12s. 7d., as against 115,498 orders, amounting to £66,937, for the previous year. The number of orders paid for the year was 27,168, of a value of £16,135, as against 25,051, for £14,943, the previous year. TELEGRAPHS. RESULTS OF "ALL BLACK" FOOTBALL MATCHES. During the tour of the " All Black " football team in England, Ireland, and France, arrangements were made by the Department to transmit the results of matches to all telegraph and telephone offices free of charge. Transmission was effected with as little delay as possible, and the results were exhibited at every office throughout the Dominion. Results received in the Dominion on Sunday mornings were promptly communicated to all telephone exchanges then open and were given to subscribers on request. This service was greatly appreciated.

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. PRESS RATES. From the Ist April, 1924, the aggregate number of words of Press news permitted to be received by evening newspapers on the day of publication at schedule rate of Is. 6d. per. 100 words or fraction thereof was increased from 1,500 to 2,000. TELEGRAPH AMD TOLL TRAFFIC. The figures which follow show the position in regard to telegraph and telephone traffic, fuller information is contained in Table 11.

Total of all Classes of Message and Value thereof.

Schedule op Paid Telegrams, Cable Messages, and Toll Communications. Number. Va^ ue - Ordinary.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,827,745 493.288 Urgent .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 292,885 30.145 Press .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 461,875 63.601 Night-letter .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 215,473 10,535 Toll communications .. .. .. .. .. ..8,612,412 344,393 15,410,390 941,962 Less net amount paid to other Administrations on cable and radio messages .. 192,862 Net total for paid messages of all codes, 1924-25 .. .. .. 15,410,390 749,100 Net total for paid messages of all codes, 1923-24 . . .. .. 14,407,269 700,329 Table showing Use by the Public of Telegraph and Toll Services. 1924-25. 1923-24. Number of ordinary telegrams sent per unit of population .. .. . . 4-43 4-38 Number of toll communications per unit of population . . .. . . 6-54 5-81 Number of paid messages, telegrams, or toll communications per unit of population .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 11-71 10-38 Number of paid telegrams for every 100 letters posted .. .. .. 5-05 5-08 TELEGRAPH AND TOLL-LINE SYSTEMS. Extensions. The machine-printing telegraph system having increased the traffic-carrying capacity of the circuits over which it is operated, and thus obviated the necessity for additional telegraph circuits that would otherwise have been necessary, has enabled the Department to concentrate on the extension of the toll-line system, and much has been done in this direction during the year by rearranging existing circuits and erecting new lines. These improvements, together with the works now authorized, will, it is hoped, relieve to a great extent much of the present congestion on the trunk toll lines. With a view to providing additional toll circuits between Auckland and Kaitaia, and generally improving the telephone facilities in the North Auckland district, a comprehensive scheme of reconstruction and rearrangement of circuits was undertaken during the year, and the work has been advanced to such a stage that within a few months Kaitaia and Kaikohe will be in direct communication with Auckland. New circuits will also be available between Auckland and Whangarei, and between Whangarei and Dargaville. Effect of Extension of High-tension Lines. The extension of high-tension circuits of power-lines throughout the Dominion has had a farreaching effect on the telegraph and telephone lines, and as a consequence has necessitated during the year the conversion to metallic circuit working of a number of earth-working exchange systems and toll lines. In addition to this, sections of many pole lines have been removed, and a great deal of other protective work has been done. MACHINE-PRINTING TELEGRAPHS. The multiplex system of telegraphy was advanced a further stage during the year by the installation, on the J 2th June, of machine-printing instruments at Dunedin for working terminal with Christchurch. Retransmitters were later installed at Wellington and Christchurch to enable Dunedin to work direct with Auckland and Wellington respectively, and also to provide for full intercommunication between the four chief cities by means of the machine-printing system,

1924-25. I 1923-24. Increase. ' Decrease. In ™ | Decve^ per uent. j per Cent. Number .. .. 15,471,950 14,476,866 995,084- .. 6-873 Value .. .. £753,520 1 £705,259 £48,261 .. 6-843

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The scheme for the linking-up of the more important provincial towns by means of the multiplex machine-printing system has now been fully developed, and installation work in connectirn therewith will shortly be commenced at Napier, Hamilton, and Wanganui. UNIVERSAL-BATTERY SYSTEM. The use of primary batteries for telegraph purposes was discontinued at the Chief Telegraph-office, Wellington, in December, from which time the more economical universal-battery system has been in operation. Preparations are now being made f r the installation of universal batteries at the Auckland and Dunedin offices. Consideration is also being given to the question of installing these batteries at other large telegraph-offices. In addition to providing a more efficient source of battery power, due to uniformity in the voltage of the electrical energy supplied, the use of universal batteries effects a comparatively large saving in maintenance charges. MAINTENANCE OF LINES. The maintenance of the telegraph and toll-line systems has been satisfactorily carried out during the year, and, partly on account of weather conditions having been favourable, no interruptions of service of any magnitude or over an extended period have occurred. MISCELLANEOUS (TELEGRAPHS). Particulars of the offices opened, &c., during, the year are as follows: Offices opened, 25; offices closed, 56; offices remaining open on 31st March, 1925, 2,264. Of this number, 344 are operated by Morse and 1,920 by telephone, 15 having been converted from telephone to Morse-working and 5 from Morse to telephone. The excess of offices closed over the number opened is due to the extension of the telephone-exchange system to rural and backblock districts by means of party and rural lines. The following table shows the class and number of instruments and batteries in use at telegraphoffices for the year ended 31st March, 1925 —

NEW TOLL CIRCUITS. The more important of the new toll circuits completed during the year are as follows : — Glenmurray -Rangiriri -Huntly. Waharoa-Matamata. Whakatane-Opotiki. Auckland-Warkworth. Tepuke-Rotorua. Nelson-Richmond. Blenheim-Renwicktown. Kaponga Opunake - Stratford - Dawson Falls. Napier-Wairoa. Renwicktown-Okaramio. Palmerston North - Manawatu Gorge. Woodville -Dannevirke. Dannevirke-Orinondville. Ormondvi lle-Takapau. WaipawaOtane. Patea-Whenuakura. Ruatiti-Mangaparua. Wellington-Eastbourne. Greymouth - Arthur's Pass. Ashburton-Springburn. Ashburton-Methven. Oamaru-W aitaki. Dunedin-Palmerston-Oamaru. Invercargill-Riverton-Thornbury-Otautau. Invercargill-Winton-Dipton. Hyde-Middlemarch. Lawrence-Roxburgh. POLES AND WIRE. During the year 133 miles of pole-line and 2,500 miles of wire were erected for telegraph and telephone (toll) purposes, while 109 miles of pole-line and 415 miles of wire were dismantled, or, in localities where no longer required by the Department, sold to settlers for use as private telephone-lines. The length of pole-line and wire in use for telegraph and telephone toll purposes on the 31st March, 1924 and 1925 respectively, was as follows : —

Telegraph Instruments in use. Number of Cells. •*i ! "3 ■ M |L M ! . H H m j <6 J District. Ii o-a : I -ft e.2 fgl . | . | . 3£ II is 41 : 3® ' «1 I If Iff! g ! I I : 2 I It 1 i is ; .as sj § §« in3 K i , 1 -g 1 j i & o ["gjogjfl o» o?h ©■ * h) | o a i a ® : n ; D Auckland .. 48 ! 78 11 8 13 21 13 2 1,465 .. .. .. 161 57 : .. Canterbury .. 61 i 66 9,8,2 7 5 3 ; 5,503 164 40 2 174 392 1 Otago .. 52 J 68 12!.. 5 3 1 5,484 ..105 .. 45 Wellington .. 109 j 119 11 19 22 23 24 4 17,057 1,504; 545 166 220 505 1 Totals .. 270 331 32 37 j 37 ; 56 45 10 29,5091,668 690 | 168 600 954 2 I I I ' I '

T) , , „t. Year ended Year ended T Pole-line and Wire. 31st March, 1924. 31st-March, 1925. Increase. Miles of pole-line .. .. .: .. 12,914* 1 12,938 24 Miles of wire I 54,330* 56,415 2,085 I I I * Revised figures.

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The telegraph and telephone wire in use on the 31st March, 1925 —viz., 56,415 miles —is classified as under :— Miles. Used exclusively for telephone toll traffic .. .. .. .. 4,542 Used exclusively for telegraph traffic .. .. .. .. 10,803 Used simultaneously and (or) conjointly for telegraph and telephone toll traffic .. .. .. .. . . .. .. 41,049 Unclassified . . . . . . .. . . .. .. 21 The total length of wire that may be used for telephone toll traffic is therefore 45,591 miles ; the total length that may be used for the transmission of telegrams, 51,852 miles ; and the length of telephone toll-lines over which telegrams may be transmitted by telephone, 22,244 miles. The total length of Morse circuit derived from the superimposing of telephone circuits is 11,028 miles, and the total length of telephone toll circuit obtained by forming " phantoms " over physical telephone circuits, 3,874 miles. NEW ZEALAND SUBMARINE CABLES. Submarine cable operations during the year included the laying of one mile of cable across the Ohiwa Harbour to form part of the toll-line between Whakatane and Opotiki, and also the laying of half a mile of cable between Turua and Matatoki. During the year two of the Cook Strait cables (Nos. 2 and 3) and the Wanganui-Wakapua.ka (Nelson) cable, developed faults. The fault in each cable was duly located, but, with the exception of No. 2 Cook Strait cable, in which the fault was found to be close inshore, repairs are being deferred until there is sufficient other cable-work in the vicinity to warrant the chartering of a cable-repairing steamer. Other cables which developed faults and which were subsequently repaired during the year are the following : Stewart Island - Bluff (two faults), Ponsonby-Northcote, Tatarariki Tokatoka, WaihekeMotuihi, and the Opua cable. CABLE TRAFFIC. The number of cable messages, excluding Press, sent from New Zealand to International offices during the year shows an increase of 13-26 per cent, on the mimber sent during 1923-24, and the number sent to Australian offices shows an increase of 9-76 per cent. Messages received from International offices increased by 8-89 per cent., and messages from Australia increased by 8-93 per cent. The proportion of cable messages sent " via Pacific " was less than that sent by the same route the previous year, the percentages being 65-3 and 65-9 respectively. The following table shows the total number of cable messages, excluding Press, forwarded by each route during each of the past five years, and also the percentage of such traffic falling to each.

Press messages numbering 2,534 were sent via Pacific and 4,369 via Eastern, compared with 2,674 and 4,177 respectively during 1923-24. The number received via Pacific was 6,628 and via Eastern 4,176, compared with 6 ; 817 and 3,483 respectively. The following table shows t he total number of each class of message, excluding Press, forwarded during 1924-25, as compared with the number forwarded during 1923-24

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Pacific. Eastern. Messages. ■ f Y,», j %-gI I 1 l 1920-21 159,896 70 1920-21 68,400 .30 J 921-22 147,781 68 1921-22 69,515 32 1922-23 157,895 67-4 1922-23 76,455 ,32-6 1923-24 167,922 65-9 1923 24 86,797 34-1 1924-25 185,680 65'3 j 1924-25 98,571 34-7

1924-25. 1923-24. Forwarded. Received. Forwarded, j Received. Full-rate international cable messages .. .. 80,381 76,611 79,824 76,454 Deferred international cable messages .. .. 17,295 18,196 16,149 17,010 Daily letter-telegrams .. .. .. .. 27,408 15,579 11,803 6,343 Week-end telegrams .. .. .. .. 25,549 15,253 25,216 15,568 Australian cable messages .. .. .. 103,147 102,464 121,727 115,937 Australian night-letter telegrams .. .. 30,471 23,833 Totals .. .. •• •• 284,251 251,936 254,719 231,312 ! •

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OCEAN CABLE SERVICES. The overseas cable services were maintained throughout the year without serious interruption. For some years the Pacific cable has been fully loaded, and tenders are being called for the duplication of the two northern sections —i.e., Vancouver to Fanning Island, and Fanning Island to Fiji. The sections from Fiji southward were duplicated in 1923. When the additional outlet is available the traffic will be disposed of promptly. Tenders for the work have closed, and it is expected that the duplication will be completed in September, 1926. At the present time the Pacific cable carries a load of approximately twelve million paying words of traffic annually, and is worked to its fullest capacity. During the year 1905 the number of words sent from New Zealand over the Pacific cable system was 891,414, whereas for the year 1924-25 the number was 3,281,262. This fact illustrates the great use which is made of the cable ; and the partner Governments —viz., Great Britain, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand—are to be congratulated on the success of this State venture. Daily Letter Cable Messages. The daily letter-telegram service, when introduced in September, 1923, was restricted to messages exchanged with Canada and the United Kingdom. On the Ist September, 1924, the system was extended via the Eastern Extension Company's route to the United States. Three months later the same company notified that daily letter-telegrams would henceforth be accepted for most British possessions, including India, Ceylon, British Central, East, and West Africa, and the Union of South Africa. The principal omissions are the Commonwealth of Australia and Fiji; but to those places the night letter-telegram service is available. Daily letter-telegrams may be sent at any time throughout the week, and are delivered by messenger after the expiry of forty-eight hours from the time of lodgment. In most cases the rate is one-quarter of the ordinary rate, with a minimum charge as for twenty words. The daily letter-telegram service marks the inauguration of a cheap and reasonably prompt cable service practically throughout the Empire. By making use of this service cable-users in the Dominion will save a large sum annually. Week-end Cable Messages. The week-end cable service to Canada and Great Britain and Ireland was maintained by the Pacific Cable Board throughout the year. At several periods these messages were subject to heavy delay owing to the congestion of all classes of traffic. Notwithstanding the introduction in September, 1923, of the daily letter service, the number of week-end messages sent to the United Kingdom (25,549) was slightly in excess of the number despatched during the previous year. War-tax on Cable Messages. The tax of 2d., known as a war-tax, and imposed since 1915, on each cable message forwarded from the Dominion was abolished as from the Ist April, 1924. Extended Use of " Pacific and Marconi Route." The use of the route " via Pacific and Marconi," which has been open for some time for full-rate messages, was made available on the 6th August, 1924, for deferred daily letter and week-end traffic. Reduction in Rates. From the Ist April, 1925, the rates via Eastern for full-rate and deferred cable messages to any part of the United States of America are being reduced to equal those chargeable for messages sent via Pacific. Intercolonial Night Letter-telegram System. Although the night letter-telegram service to Australia has been in operation less than a year, its popularity is indicated by the fact that during March, 1925, 3,797 such messages were despatched to and 2,838 received from the Commonwealth. The rate for this class of message is 3s. for twenty words or less, and 2d. for each word in excess of twenty words. This is less than half the rate for ordinary messages, which is 4|d. per word. The rate fixed for a minimum of twenty words in a night letter-telegram to Fiji varies according to the locality —from ss. lOd. in the case of Suva to Bs. Id. in the case of Labassa, Taviuni, and Savusavu. Intercolonial night letter-telegrams are transmitted on the day of lodgment, and are posted at the office of destination for delivery by first post on the following morning. WIRELESS. WIRELESS TRAFFIC. The number of forwarded and received radio messages shows an increase of 16-91 per cent, and 13-70 per cent, respectively. The amounts earned by New Zealand show an increase under both headings of 15-60 per cent, and 8-54 per cent, respectively. The number of words of paid forwarded radio Press'telegrams increased from 98,607 to 123,018 ; 8,497 words of Press news were broadcasted free of charge to all ships and coast stations within range of Awanui.

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WIRELESS EQUIPMENT, EXTENSION, ETC. The efficiency of all coast stations has been well maintained during the year, and, as a result of a vigilant and effective watch having been kept for signals of distress from ship stations, good service was rendered on the 3rd September in connection with the stranding of the s.s. " Mesna " on Hakofis Reef. Radio-Wellington has been equipped with a continuous wave-valve transmitter which permits of the use of different types of transmitters, and reduces to a minimum the interference with adjacent radio-telephone broadcasting transmissions. The transmitting equipment at Radio-Awarua has been supplemented by a l|-kilowatt transmitting set which provides a more effective means of communicating in daylight with ships on the southern steamship routes. Consideration is now being given to an extension of the hours of attendance and the duration of the watch at this station. The proposed modernization of the radio station at Awanui (New Zealand) and Apia (Samoa) by the installation of continuous wave transmitters in place of the present spark equipment is still in abeyance pending possible developments in connection with the erection in New Zealand of a highpower station, which would probably incorporate the specific services at present performed by RadioAwanui. A radio-telegraph station was established at Kawau Island on the Bth April, 1924, for the handling of traffic between the island and the Auckland radio-station. The charge for telegrams is 2fd. per word, with a minimum charge of Is. 3d. for each message. Since its inception the station has been operated economically and has maintained an uninterrupted service. The establishment of this station has proved a great convenience to settlers, visitors, and shipping interests, and as the existence of the station becomes more widely known the service will probably be availed of to a greater extent. Radio-telegraph stations were erected during the year on the islands of Aitutaki, Mangaia, and Nine, and were opened for traffic respectively 011 the 10th June, 6th August, and 2nd October. The stations at Aitutaki and Mangaia are equipped with J-kilowatt spark sets, and communicate with Rarotonga, while the Niue station is equipped with radio-telephone equipment for communication with Apia, Samoa. The stations are manned by Native operators. The charges for telegrams per word are as follows : Mangaia and Aitutaki, Is. 9d. ; Niue, Is. 6d. The Aitutaki station was temporarily closed from the 29th December to the 23rd January on account of apparatus troubles. Further trouble in this respect necessitated the closing of the station temporarily 011 the 3rd February, pending receipt from New Zealand of a new magneto. The station was still closed for traffic 011 the 31st March. The Mangaia station was temporarily closed from the 27th November to the 30th December owing to the operator being indisposed. The Niue station has maintained an uninterrupted service since its inception. RADIO BROADCASTING. The Post and Telegraph Amendment Act provides that after the Ist April, 1925, it shall not be lawful for any person to sell, offer for sale, or have in his possession for sale in the way of his business, any apparatus designed or intended for use in connection with radio-telegraphy unless he is the holder of a license issued to him by the Minister of Telegraphs. Further, every licensed dealer must keep a true record of all sales made by him of apparatus for radio-telegraphy. The record must set out in respect of each sale the date thereof, and the name, occupation, and address of the purchaser, and particulars of the articles purchased. Regulations for radio broadcasting stations and the sale of radio apparatus were gazetted on the 12th March, and became operative on the Ist April, 1925. Under the new scheme the proportion of the fees to be paid to the broadcasting licensee is fixed at £1 ss. out of the annual fee received from every licensee of a radio station, and 90 per centum of the fee for each radio-dealer's license. Radio-dealers' licenses are divided into three classes : Class 1, licenses of dealers carrying 011 business in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, or Wellington ; Class 2, licenses of dealers carrying on business in centres of population other than the aforementioned four main centres, having a population of more than five thousand; Class 3, licenses of dealers carrying on business in centres of population having a population of five thousand or less. The annual fees for licenses of Class 1, 2, and 3 are £10, £5, and £2 respectively. It is forbidden by regulation for a broadcasting station to be used for the dissemination of propaganda of a controversial nature, while the use of mechanically operated musical instruments will be permitted only provided their use is strictly limited to a comparatively small part of the programme. A penalty of a fine not exceeding £50 or a term of imprisonment not exceeding six months is provided for acts in contravention of or failure to comply with particular regulations, and a fine not exceeding £10 or a term of imprisonment not exceeding one month for an offence against any other of the regulations. As soon as the broadcasting of good programmes commences it is anticipated that the number of applications for licenses will be very large, and until this takes place and the new company is formed the companies at present operating stations in the four centres have agreed to co-operate with the Department, and have promised to carry out an improved service in order that " listeners in " may not be under any disadvantage until the new stations are erected.

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AMATEUR WIRELESS LICENSES. New regulations for radio receiving, amateur transmitting and receiving, and experimental stations were gazetted on the sth March. 1925. The annual fee for a radio-receiving-station license, which was raised from ss. to £1 10s., might at first appear excessive, but it must not be overlooked that provision is made in the Broadcasting Regulations for £1 ss. out of every license fee to be paid to the person or company by whom or by which broadcasting is undertaken under those regulations. A first-class broadcasting service is required to be given from four stations, and when the expense of establishing and maintaining such, a service is considered it will be agreed that the license fee is not high. A similar amount is payable to the broadcasting licensee out of every license fee of £2 2s. now charged for a license for an amateur transmitting or an experimental station. District Telegraph Engineers are now empowered to issue amateur operator's certificates, and licenses for amateur transmitting and receiving and experimental stations. FEE FOR SHIP OPERATOR'S CERTIFICATE. During the year the fee for examining a candidate for a ship operator's certificate was increased from ss. to 15s. However, the fee of ss. for examining in telegraphy only, for a first-class certificate, a candidate who already holds a second-class certificate was not altered. PRESS RATE ON TELEGRAMS EXCHANGED WITH ISLAND STATIONS. The rates for Press telegrams to or from Chatham and Rarotonga (Cook Islands) were fixed by Order in Council dated the 16th June, .1924. The rate for such messages exchanged between the mainland of New Zealand and Chatham Islands is ss. per 100 words or fraction thereof, and between New Zealand and Rarotonga 4fd. per word, with a minimum of 7s. 6d. for such message. TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE SERVICE. DEVELOPMENT. During the year extensive construction work was carried out at many exchanges to make provision for immediate and future requirements, and in some instances, chiefly in suburban areas, what was regarded as adequate accommodation was fully utilized immediately it became available. The present rating system has undoubtedly popularized the telephone in country districts, and brought it within the reach of many backblock settlers to whom telephone service, in the event of sickness, is invaluable. It has also promoted the amalgamation of exchanges situated at no appreciable distance apart. During the year Petone, Heretaunga, and Kahutara exchanges have been amalgamated respectively with Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, and Featherston. Under much the same conditions the Ngakawau and Millerton exchanges (two miles and a half apart) were closed by the establishment of a central exchange at Granity. With each amalgamation the subscribers have reaped the advantage of being able to communicate with a greater number of subscribers without the payment of toll fees, while in some cases extended hours of attendance have also been obtained without any corresponding increase of rental. From a point of view of development the position is extremely satisfactory, and fully justifies the claim made in 1923 that the comprehensive revision of the rating system then being undertaken would stimulate and promote telephone development in all areas, and would be in the interests of subscribers as well as the Department. The growth of the telephone-exchange system is exemplified in the following table, which shows quinquennially since 1905 the number of exchanges, the total wire-mileage, the revenue, and the total number of telephone stations, together with the number of telephones for each 1,000 population in New Zealand :

ATTENDANCE AT TELEPHONE EXCHANGES. In the Telephone Regulations of September, 1923, provision was made for the observance of a more extended attendance at exchanges with from fifty to two hundred subscribers than was available hitherto. At exchanges of between fifty and one hundred subscribers the attendance now given is from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., while "exchanges at which the number of subscribers is between one hundred and two hundred are open from 6 a.m. to midnight. This extension of the hours of service is much appreciated by subsciribers, and the hours fixed have proved very suitable.

Number of Telephone Stations. Quinquennial Year. Numbei of JVfiles of Wire. Revenue. — — Excha "ge S . Per 1;(K)0 ■ lotal. ii | ,. Jropulation. £ 1905 .. .. .. 85 11,028 79,061 13,423 14-78 1910 .. .. .. 153 35,233 144,298 29,681 28-67 1915 .. .. .. 250 113,479 303,856 54,261 47-18 1920 .. .. .. 291 177,509 419,318 80,723 65-27 1925 .. .. .. 340 331,453 867,218 120,097* 87-26 * Includes approximately 4,000 non-exchange stations.

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NEW EXCHANGES, EXTENSIONS, ETC. Inquiries continue to bo made respecting the establishment of new exchanges, but. wherever practicable, intending subscribers are being urged to join witli the nearest existing exchange, the advantages regarding hours of attendance and the extended range of subscribers with which communication may be obtained without the payment of toll fees being impressed upon them. Telephone Development in New Zealand, 1905-25. Graph. showiwi the Number of Telephones in New Zealand per 100 Population each Year since 1905.

Telephones per 100 population

The number of telephones per 100 population in the English-speaking countries on Ist January, 1923, was as follows: Unit id States of America, 13-1; Canada, 10-4; New Zealand, 8-1 ; Australia, 4-6; Great Britain, 2-3; South Africa, o'B. Among other operations, the year's work included — The opening of new manual exchanges at Albany, Brightwatcr, Dip toil West, Granity, Hampden, Herekino, Hikutaia, Hyde, Maungakaramea, OneWhcro, Pokeno, Rangiwahia, Ruawai, Sheffield, Silverdale, Springburn, Tarras, Te Uku, Waharoa, Waitahuna, Whakapara ; The conversion to automatic Working of the Auckland exchange system (comprising Wellesley Street, Ponsonby, Mount Eden, Remuera, and Onehunga exchanges) ; The extension of the switching equipment at thirty-five manual and five automatic exchanges ;

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The installation of underground and aerial cables at a number of the smaller exchanges, and the extension of the existing cable systems at other places; The conversion to metallic circuit working of a number of the few remaining earthworking exchange systems ; The reconstruction of the aerial-wire system at a number of exchanges ; and The maintenance of 115,549 telephone stations at a comparatively high state of efficiency. A feature of the operations during the coming year will be the installation in subscribers' premises in automatic areas of a new type of intercommunicating apparatus to replace the existing magneto private-branch-exchange equipment, which is incapable of operating into the automatic system without considerable modification. The present magneto private-branch-exchange system requires the constant attention of an operator in the main office to switch the incoming, outgoing, and local calls. Under the new system, however, the services of an operator may be dispensed with except for incoming calls ; the switching for the outgoing and local calls being effected by the pressing of a button by the caller. PRIVATE TELEPHONE-LINES. Although applications are still being made for licenses to erect private telephone-lines to connect with departmental exchange circuits at various distances from exchanges, development in this direction is virtually confined to remote localities that do not possess any potentialities for telephoneextension. With the reticulation of high-power lines throughout the country districts, necessitating the erection of telephone circuits on the metallic-circuit principle, settlers are finding it more profitable and much more satisfactory to require the Department to undertake the erection and maintenance of their telephone circuits. This is becoming increasingly evident by the number of private-telephone-line owners applying to have their private lines replaced by departmental circuits. PUBLIC CALL OFFICES. Public call offices (coin-in-the-slot telephones) continue to prove remunerative in business and densely populated residential areas, and it is proposed to instal additional ones where such facilities are necessary. During the year 9 new public call offices were established, bringing the total number in use up to 380. A new type of public-call-office telephone, for use in areas where the telephone system, is wholly automatic, has recently been introduced. The initial supply of these telephones has been installed at Auckland. The new telephones, which are fitted with dials, are so arranged that the person making the call is not required to insert the penny until the called subscriber answers. Difficulties were at first experienced in satisfactorily adjusting the mechanism, but the telephones arc now giving good service. The revenue from public call offices during the year amounted to £24,647, being an increase of £959 over the previous year. PRIVATE-LINE CIRCUITS BETWEEN PLACES OF BUSINESS. The receipts for the year in respect of rental and maintenance fees for private-line circuits between places of business, &c., amounted to £6,765. TELEPHONE STATISTICS. The manner in which the exchanges are classified, the number of exchanges in each class, and the number of stations connected therewith on the 31st March last, are shown in the following table : —

In addition to the above there were 4,229 stations connected by private telephone-lines with departmental toll stations, and 319 stations connected witli non-departmental rural exchanges, making a grand total of 120,097 telephone stations on the 31st. March, 1925.

Class I. Class II. I Class III. Exchanges or Net- Exchanges or Net- Exchanges or Networks observing works observing works observing Class IV. | Continuous Continuous Continuous Exchanges Attendance and Attendance and Attendance and or Networks ! Dominion having more than having 1,001 to having 201 to where the j Totals. 3,500 Paying 3,500 Paying 1,000 Faying Attendance Subscribers' Main Subscribers' Main Subscribers' Main is restricted, j Stations con- Stations con- Stations connected therewith, nected therewith, nected therewith. - | Subscribers'main stations .. j 31,090 19,344 19,089 24,848 94,371 Toll and service stations .. 553 419 723 2,187 3,882 Public call offices .. ■ • 286 58 34 2 380 Extension stations — P.B.X. .. .. .. 4,288 940 308 77 5.613 Ordinary .. .. .. 6,345 2,659 1,424 875 11,303 Telephone stations : Class totals .. 42,562 23,420 21,578 27,989 115,549 Number of exchanges in each class 4 11 42 283 340 Percentage of new connections made 25% J7% 20% 38% with each class of exchange during the year

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Of the new connections made during the year 3,328 were with Class I exchanges, 2,212 with Class II exchanges, 2,663 with Class 111 exchanges, and 5,101 with Class IV (country) exchanges. The waiting-list at these exchanges now stands at 1,664, 367, 364, and 1,227 respectively : total, 3,622 —a reduction of 464 on the figures for the year ended 31st March, 1924. Although the waiting-list has not been reduced to any marked extent numerically, a number equivalent to those now waiting has been provided with telephone connections every three months, so that, except at comparatively few exchanges where conditions are abnormal, applicants have not been waiting for telephone service more than three months. The waiting-list includes 282 applicants for connections at telephone exchanges authorized but not yet opened ; the figures for the previous year under this heading were 700. The following table shows the number of telephone stations in each Engineer's district in the Dominion on the 31 st March, 1924 and 1925 respectively, and the percentage of increase in each case : —

The number of subscribers' stations (main and extension) connected with each of the twelve principal exchanges on the 31st March, 1925, was —Wellington, 13,547 ; Auckland, 12,581 ; Christchurch, 9,425 ; Dunedin, 6,571 ; Wanganui, 2,958 ; Hamilton, 2,472 ; Gisborne, 2,415 ; Palmerston North, 2,378 ; Napier, 2,330; Invercargill, 2,316 ; Hastings, 2,239; Masterton, 1,696. The number of party and rural lines on the 31st March, 1925, was 8,387, to which were connected 31,187 main stations —an increase of 752 and 3,720 respectively on the figures for the previous year. The following table shows, for each class of exchange, the respective percentages of business and residential stations, also the respective percentages of individual and] party-line stations on the 31st March, 1925.

The length in miles of the various items of telephone-exchange plant in existence on the 31st March 1924 and 1925 respectively, was as follows : —

Number of Stations on 31st March, „ . , 1V , . . 1024. 1925. Engineers District. p er . j i j j j centage Main | Extension ; , , i Main Extension i , , T Stations. Stations. -o.a. , gt a tj ons Stations. 0,a ' Increase. M HI IB I BS*fj I 1 I I I ~~1 Auckland .. .. 25,618 3,974 29,592 28,528 4,262 32,790 10-8 Wellington .. .. 39,267 6,791 46,058 41,941 7,236 49,177 6-8 Canterbury .. .. 13,994 2,952 16,946 15,148 3,151 18,299 8-0 Otago .. .. 12,003 2,165 14,168 13,016 2,267 15,283 7-9 Totals .. I 90,882 15,882 106,764 j 98,633 16,916 115,549 I 8-2

p , » ' Class I i Class II Class III. ! Class IV Dominion " Exchanges. Exchanges. Exchanges. ! Exchanges. Percentages. Business stations .. . . .. I 46 36 32 26 36 Residential stations .. .. 54 64 68 74 64 | 100 100 100 I 100 100 Individual-line stations .. .. 87 75 60 43 67 Party- and rural-line stations .. 13 25 40 57 33 100 100 100 100 , 100 | I I .

Cable. Wire. ; Pole-line. Under- . . , In Under- In Aerial . . . Under all ground. AenaJ " ground Cable. Cable. °P en Aerlal " Headings. In existence on 31st 7,605 j 406 589 140,965 | 69,342 59,114* 269,421 March, 1924 Erected during year .. 1,947 154 80 48,506 8,492 11,995 68,993 Dismantled during year 53 3 28 1,369 3,302 2,290 6,961 In existence on 31st 9,499 557 641 188,102 74,532 68,819 331,453 March, 1925 I * Revised figures.

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1 Tlie percentages of the total wire-mileage in underground and aerial cables, and open aerial wire respectively, for the year ended 31st March, 1925, are as under : — Telephone-exchange wire in underground cables.. .. . . .. 56-75 Telephone-exchange wire in aerial cables .. .. .. .. 22-49 Telephone-exchange wire in open aerial wires .. .. .. . . 20-76 In the telephone statistics of the world (compiled on the Ist January, 1923) the United States leads as regards density, with 13-1 telephones per 100 of population ; Canada is second, with 10-4 telephones ; Denmark is third, with 8-3 telephones ; while New Zealand takes fourth place, with 8-1 telephones. Australia and Great Britain occupy seventh and twelfth places respectively, with 4-6 and 2-3 telephones per 100 of population. The number of telephones per 100 of population of the world is 1-3. AUTOMATIC-TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE INSTALLATIONS. Auckland Metropolitan Exchange Area. The installation of five of the seven automatic exchanges in the Auckland telephone-exchange area was completed during the year, and on the 14th March these exchanges, comprising Wellesley Street (4,731 main stations), Remuera (949 main stations), Mount Eden (1,066 main stations), Ponsonby (881 main stations), and Onehunga (267 main stations), were brought into operation. The cut-over to automatic was satisfactorily effected, and a greatly improved service has resulted. The Devonport and Takapuna Exchanges are now being proceeded with, and when completed the whole of the Auckland Metropolitan Exchange area will comprise a homogeneous full-automatic telephone system. The initial capacity of the five exchanges mentioned is as follows: —Wellesley Street, 10,000 lines; Remuera, 2,000 lines ; Mount Eden, 2,000 lines ; Ponsonby, 2,000 lines ; Onehunga, 400 lines ; while the ultimate capacity of the equipment is 200,000 lines. Already arrangements are being made to extend the buildings at Mount Eden and Remuera, and to increase the equipment in the different exchanges to meet the growth of the service. The new automatic-exchange building at Stout Street, Wellington, has been completed, and excellent progress is being made with the installation of the automatic equipment. It is expected that the new exchange will be ready for operation before the end of this year, when the remainder of the manual subscribers' stations in Wellington - — some 4,600 in number — will be converted to automatic working. The automatic exchanges at present working in the city have given satisfactory service throughout the year, and continue to be extended to meet the growing demands for telephone service in the districts in which they are situated. The greater part of the equipment for the new automatic exchange at Christchurch is now to hand, and the installation work will be commenced at an early date. An extension of the present manual switchboard will shortly be made in order to relieve some of the present overload, and also to make provision for about five hundred new connections. The auxiliary automatic apparatus installed at Christchurch has worked satisfactorily during the year and has been well maintained. In service, however, it suffers by comparison with other automatic exchanges because of the complication of providing intercommunication with a manually operated exchange. For this reason the subscribers' opinion of the service is not always complimentary, but the installation demonstrates that the automatic exchange, under normal conditions, is capable of giving the very best service. A commencement was made during the year with the installation of automatic equipment in the new central exchange in Dowling Street, Dunedin, and also at the suburban exchanges, Roslyn and South Dunedin. The greater part of the equipment is on hand, and the work is being proceeded with as energetically as the numerical strength of the installing staff will allow. An extension of the present manual switchboard is now being made to provide accommodation for applicants at present awaiting telephone connections, and also to meet the Exhibition requirements. Tenders have recently been accepted for the installation of new automatic exchanges at Hawera. Stratford, and Dannevirke, and installation work will commence at these places as soon as sufficient supplies of equipment come to hand.

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Hereunder is a return showing automatic-exchange equipment installed and in use in the Dominion on the 31st March, 1925: —

5—F. 1.

Number Number of Number Number Total , T , Total of Party Lmes of o{ Number Number Number Exchange. Individual ™ « ? • Individual Party- of Exte ° nsion Automatic installed. j u T y Stations. Stations. Stations. Stations ' Auckland Exchange Area — Wellesley Street .. .. 7,300 .. .. 5,033 .. 5,033 1,682 6,715 Remuera .. .. 1,600 .. 100 990 .. 990 101 1,091 Mount Eden .. .. 1,600 .. . 100 1,280 .. 1,280 68 1,348 Ponsonby .. .. 1,200 .. 100 888 .. 888 73 961 Onehunga .. .. 400 .. .. 259 .. 259 18 277 Ohristchurch Exchange Area— Hereford Street* .. .. 1,500 .. .. 1,497 .. 1,497 146 1,643 St. Albans* .. .. 500 500 .. 500 54 554 Sydenham* .. .. 300 .. ' .. 300 .. 300 33 333 Wellington Exchange Area — Courtenay Place .. .. 3,400 100 100 3,310 156 3,466 831 4,297 Wellington South .. .. 1,400 100 100 : 1,134 406 1,540 97 1,637 Kelburn .. .. .. 1,200 .. .. 871 .. 871 57 928 Khandallah .. .. .. 100 100 76f 240 316 7 323 Single-office exchanges— Blenheim.. .. .. 700 100 660 119 779 86 865 Hamilton.. .. .. 1,400 .. 100 1,395 309 1,704 261 1,965 Masterton .. .. 1,000 .. 100 900 200 1,100 173 1,273 Oamaru .. .. .. j 700 .. 100 641 80 721 91 812 Palmerston North .. .. 1,800 .. 100 1,680 199 1,879 214 2,093 Wanganui .. .. 2,000 .. 100 1,915 279 2,194 441 2,635 Totals .. .. 28,000 300 1,200 23,329 1,988 25,317 4,433 29,750 I ' I * Auxiliary apparatus. f 76 lines used for individual stations.

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APPENDIX.

DESIGNATION OF OFFICES CHANGED.

CABLE BUSINESS. The Dominion's outward International and Australian cable business, excluding Press, for the years 1924-25 and 1923-24 was as follows: — INTERNATIONAL. Number of Value. Messages. £ 1924-25 ... ... 150,633 ... ... ... 185,468 1923-24 ... ... 132,992 ... ... ... 175,788 Increase 17,641 = 13-26 per cent. Increase £9,680 = 5'50 per cent. AUSTRALIAN. Number of Value. Messages. £ 1924-25 ... ... 133,618 ... ... ... 27,409 1923-24 ... ... 121,727 ... ... ... 26,555 Increase 11,891 = 9 - 76 per cent. Increase £854 = 3'21 per cent. There was a total increase of 29,532 messages, and an increase in value of £10,534. Of the total revenue received on forwarded cable messages —viz., £212,877—£201,230 was paid to other Administrations and £11,647 retained by New Zealand. RECEIVED CABLE MESSAGES. The number of cable messages received in New Zealand during the years 1924-25 and 1923-24, exclusive of Press, was as follows: — International. Australian. 1924-25 ... ... 125,639 ... ... ... 126,297 1923-24 ... ... 115,375 ... ... ... 115,937 Increase 10,264 = B'B9 per cent. Increase 10,360 = 8-93 per cent. The total revenue earned by New Zealand on received cable messages during the year 1924-25 was £9,318 as compared with £8,441 for 1923-24. EADIO-TELEGBAMS. The radio business transacted by the New Zealand coast stations during the years 1924-25 and 1923-24 was as follows :—

Postal District. I Changed from j Changed to I ! ; Napier .. .. ,. ! Petane, H.B. .. .. .. Bay View. Auckland .. .. Kawau .. .. .. .. : Kawau Island. Gisborne .. .. .. East Cape .. . . .. j M.itarehua. B.enhe.m .. .. .. Flat Creek .. .. .. j Rai Valley. Blenheim .. .. Te Aruhe .. .. .. Yncyca Bay.

Forwarded. Received. Year. Number of Amount Number of Amount —_ earned by Total Value. — earned by Messages. Words. New Zealand. Messages. Words. New Zealand. £ £ £ 1924-25 ... ... 16,259 ,293,189 3,555 7,331 25,669 270,814 4,777 1923-24 ... ... 13,907 244,955 3,075 6,414 22,576 242,390 4,401 Increase ... 2,352 48,234 480 917 3,093 28,424 376

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Table No. 1. Table showing the Number and Amount of Money-orders issued and of Money-orders PAYABLE IN New ZEALAND SINCE THE YEAR 1863.

Issued in the Dominion. Where payable. 7 . " " — Total. Year C ° ramiss j™ In the Dominion. United Kingdom." 1, F°'eign Countries.f c • received. . No. Amount. No. i Amount. No. Amount. No. Amount. No. Amount. £ £ £ £ £ £ 1863 1,057 2,201 9,614 4,740 21,944 4,645 24,145 .. .. 11,586 55,703 1873 3.562 34.288 142,642 11,913 48,548 6,150 28,068 .. .. 52,351 219,258 1883 9.023 132,232 402,559 26,211 91,634 14,113 46,94° •• •• , 172,556 541,133 1893 10,249 146,133 576,359 29,616 86,545 35,208 88,025 •• 210,957 750,929 1903 15,882 273,535 1,108,067 63,309 157.790 59,468 150,368 .. .. 396,312 1,416,225 1913 16,872 516,536 2,821,624 100,634 336,992 73.575 199,158 .. .. 690,745 3,357,774 1914 16,336 536,674 2,933,911 87,774 299,155 67,070 194,439 .. .. 691,518 3,427,505 1915 15,819 511.487 2,986,021 81,483 263,371 71,890 222,426 .. .. 664,860 3,471,818 1916 15,966 520,476 3,108,197 60,876 214,254 70,817 221,700 17,186 62,936 669,355 3,607,087 1917 16,077 508,209 2,977,997 54,852 216,835 63,662 212,144 15,960 69,669 642,683 3,476,645 1918 17,487 508,813 3,120,183 48,133 198,452 61,899 217,512 19,655 113,224 638,500 3,649,371 1919 19,329 558,344 3.994.055 48,592 224,667 58,974 240,437 24,381 144,900 690,291 4,604,059 1920 31,302 572,432 4.691,717 49,184 235,295 66,027 310,409 12,031 39,355 699,674 5,276,776 1921 31,268 535,897 4.276,158 52,021 254,342 67,893 292,036 13,572 28,284 669,383 4,850,820 1922 27,431 526,906 3,776,896 53,079 221,447 64,523 249,454 15,435 30,732 659,943 4,278,529 1923 28,357 545,605 3,849,423 54,461 223,143 68,044 284,778 16,869 32,815 684,979 4,390,159 1924 28,542 580,569 4,113,813 57,175 232,436 75,743 312,624 18,024 34.056 73l.5ii 4,692,929 Drawn on the Dominion. Where issued. _ 7T7 Total. Year. In the Dominion. United Kingdom.* AUS^Possessions 1 Foreign Countries.! No. Amount. No. Amount. No. Amount. No. Amount. No. | Amount. £ £ £ £ £ 1863 2,067 9,169 415 1,824 558 3>078 .. .. 3,040 14,071 1873 142,642 1,482 6,626 1,668 7,689 .. .. 37,438 156,957 1883 132,232 402,559 3,725 15,553 5,697 23,300 .. .. 141,654 441,411 1893 I 146,133 576,359 8,746 32,617 10,679 40,929 •• .. 165,558 649,905 I I 1903 273,535 1,108,067 13,035 49,181 17.777 68,340 .. .. 304,347 1,225,589 1913 5 r 6,536 2,821,624 12,693 70,084 31,450 110,487 .. .. 560,679 3,002,194 19*4 536,674 2,933,911 11,439 60,324 30.974 110,032 .. .. 579,087 3,104,268 1915 5",487 2,986,021 12,409 58,189 30,356 107,510 .. .. 554,252 3,151,720 1916 520,476 3,108,197 8,337 39,908 35,8oo 128,370 2,445 10,587 567,058 3,287,162 1917 508,209 2,977,997 6,872 34,973 36,978 123,390 2,311 10,348 554,370 3,146,708 1918 508,813 3,120,183 6,802 40,365 33,868 : 114,652 2,281 12,055 551,764 3,287,255 1919 558,344 3,994.055 8,498 65,526 25,697 104,093 2,410 12,353 594,949 4,176,027 1920 572,432 4,691,717 8,806 67,552 22,946 ! 111,325 1,416 4,420 605,600 4,875,014 1921 535,897 4,276,158 8,696 65,818 24,197 122,938 1,366 6,104 570,156 4,471,018 1922 526,906 3,776,856 8,788 65,516 25,095 ; 121,331 1,587 6,124 562,376 3,969,867 1923 545,605 3,849,423 11,042 63,313 26,042 ; 123,703 1,813 8,669 584,502 4,045,108 1924 580,569 4,113,813 8,310 60,862 28,543 | 127,350 2,348 10,309 619,770 4,312,334 * Includes foreign offices to year 1915. f In previous years included in United Kingdom and foreign offices.

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Table No. 2. Table showing the Number and Value of Postal Notes sold from 1st January, 1886—the Date upon which they were first issued—to 31st March, 1925.

Number of Postal Notes sold. Total. Year. - : r~ - ; ; 1 I At Is. At Is. 6d. At 2s. At 2s. 6d. At 3s. At 5s. 1 At 7s. 6d. At 10s. At 12s. 6d. At 15s. At 17s. 6d. At £1. At £5.* Number. Value. 1 I I I ! « Quarter ended Mar. 31,1886 3,019 2,046 .. 1,012 .. 2,039 969 2,379 695 992 425 2,866 .. 16,442 6,910 1886-87 .. .. 16,605 12,283 .. 6,647 ' .. 11,566 5,729 13,103 4,090 5,187 2,375 14,961 .. 92,546 37,659 1887-88 .. .. 22,467 17,167 .. 9,162 .. 15,553 7,671 17,487 5,278 6,940 2,952 17,578 .. 122,255 47,729 1888-89 .. .. 27,428 21,900 .. 11,912 ! .. 19,741 9,477 21,149 6,618 8,243 3,633 19,778 .. 149,879 56,842 1889-90 .. .. 32,754 25,387 .. 14,478 ! .. 23,550 10,894 24,011 7,809 9,386 4,158 22,596 .. 175,023 65,484 1890-91 .. .. 35,915 28,559 .. 16,092 ! .. 25,204 12,229 25.906 7,969 10,172 4,366 23,503 .. 189,915 69,722 1891-92 .. .. 42,416 33,722 .. 19,383 | .. 29,550 14,019 30,132 9,058 11,611 4,953 25,839 .. 220,683 79,326 1892-93 .. .. 48,612 38,849 .. 22,038 .. 33,012 16,072 32,747 9,904 12,330 5,369 28,969 .. 247,902 87,857 1893-94 .. .. 56,761 44,706 .. 25,461 i .. 37,771 18,096 37,687 11,016 13,800 6,156 33,935 .. 285,389 101,002 1894-95 .. .. 62,306 49,846 .. 28,975 j .. 43,829 20,423 43,167 11,864 15,567 6,790 36,601 .. 319,368 112,308 1895-96 .. .. 68,454 56,185 .. 32,801 i .. 49,204 22,802 47,787 13,601 17,191 7,020 33,390 1,192 349,627 123,368 1896-97 .. .. 74,534 62,056 .. 35,322 .. 54,219 24,871 51,963 14,365 18,102 7,406 32.868 1,090 376,796 129,012 1897-98 .. .. 81,958 69,981 .. J 38,617 .. 60,843 26,968 55,748 15,463 19,477 7,904 32,179 728 409,866 134,378 1898-99 .. .. 86,529 72,710 .. i 41,991 .. 64,386 28,448 59,631 16,202 19,990 8,193 32,696 673 431,449 139,957 1899-1900 .. .. 93,762 77,431 .. j 44,384 .. 70,416 30,680 63,787 16,957 21,393 8,539 33,491 607 461,447 147,686 1900-1901 .. .. 85,478 68,068 13,834 52,691 , 14,702 80,630 24,497 71,001 13,304 23,875 6,799 35.067 560 490,506 154,436 1901-1902 .. .. 49,529 30,255 62,285 70,683 ! 65,467 109,663 .. 92,708 .. 32,128 .. 43,042 556 556,316 173,317 1902-1903 .. .. 54,268 33,409 70,122 76,613 75,700 119,593 .. 102,641 .. 34,508 .. 48,852 558 616,264 191,905 1903-1904 .. .. 61,379 37,514 85,909 86,626 i 89,276 134.270 .. 114,755 .. 38,030 .. 58,629 656 707,044 220,070 1904-1905 .. .. 65,484 40,263 86,711 96,228 99,739 154,281 .. 130,430 .. 42,317 .. 69,206 688 785,347 250,123 1905-1906 .. .. 74,389 45.358 98,503 108,493 114,411 167,430 .. 143,216 .. 46,228 .. 76,508 788 875,324 276,279 1906-1907 .. .. 82,417 54,375 106,311 120,321 j 128,384 187,083 .. 159,045 .. 51,559 .. 91,193 954 981,642 314,053 1907-1908 .. .. 89,906 58,202 124,052 ! 136,392 143,854 205,500 .. 171,951 .. 57,637 .. 104,714' 423 1,092,631 347,300 1908-1909 .. .. 97,285 59,484 153,925 162,588 146,148 227,471 .. 188,677 .. 62,916 .. 123,786 .. 1,222,280 389.143 1909-1910 .. .. 113,825 67,406 181.791 195,168 166,486 261,045 .. 214,453 .. 70,967 .. 143,611 .. 1,414,752 447,619 1910-1911 .. .. 130,645 79,792 211,298 244,941 201,569 301,707 .. 242,854 .. 82,253 .. 171,900 .. 1,666,959 524,943 1911-1912 .. .. 141,504 85,130 236,665 263,829 215,984 337,338 .. 261,600 .. 88,693 .. 190,823 .. 1,821,566 574,980 1912-1913 .. .. 154,201 92,342 264,844 279,311 220,109 367,942 .. 283,206 .. 95,535 .. 213,153 .. 1,970,643 636,473 1913-1914 .. .. 172,400 103,753 298,669 324,417 256,231 418,712 .. 312,870 .. 106,560 .. 245,230 .. 2,238.842 721,743 1914-1915 .. .. 182,733 107,483 307,934 346,011 263,522 444,427 .. 325,071 .. 107,506 .. 229,640 .. 2,314,327 725,118 1915-1916 .. .. 186,873 114,570 319,115 364,086 267,383 461,137 .. 334,277 .. 111,095 .. 211,543 .. 2,370,079 723,314 1916-1917 .. .. 184,873 112,639 322,946 343,031 260,956 440,215 .. 301,825 .. 108,978 .. 211,000 .. 2,286,463 695,819 1917-1918 .. 187,005 115,867 316,266 337,418 258,421 401,696 .. 252,396 .. 103,348 .. 194,180 .. 2,166,597 638,246 1918-1919 .. .. 181,824 114,553 299,791 326,398 253,728 381,202 .. 238,337 .. 102.467 .. 192,751 .. 2,091,051 619,605 1919-1920 .. .. 196,327 121,037 310,105 339,341 268,032 396,994 .. 246,688 .. 110,819 .. 208,177 .. 2,197,520 655,910 1920-1921 .. .. 217,553 120,888 309,649 342,040 266,119 410,584 .. 254,868 .. 123,917 .. 234,601 .. 2,280,219 705,027 1921-1922 .. .. 239,187 120,780 314,035 352,681 259,372 445,995 .. 269,863 .. 137,192 .. 238,517 .. 2,377,622 739,783 1922-1923 .. .. 262.172 130,275 331,376 348,779 236,877 475,947 .. 276,650 .. 138,621 .. 233,809 .. 2,434,506 747,025 1923-1924 .. .. 285,065 145,277 366,241 385,307 247,915 528,178 .. 299,987 .. 151,288 .. 243,519 .. 2,652,777 804,343 1924-1925 .. .. 297,019 154,406 397,666 428,707 253,311 577,873 .. 316,947 .. 162,281 .. 258,123 .. 2,846,333 860,029 * Issued only from 17th June, 1895, to 31st October, 1907.

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Table No. 3. Table showing the Number and Amount of Transactions at the Money-order Offices during the Year 1924, and Savings-Bank Offices of New Zealand during the Year 1924-25.

Money-orders. Savings-banks. Postal District. Issued. Paid. Number Deposits. ! Number j Withdrawals. of New j ; of Accounts | j Accounts Number. Commission. Amount. Number. Amount. opened. j Number. Amount. closed. 1 Number. Amount. £ £ £ £ £ Auckland .. .. .. 133,198 5,818 803,309 158,619 1,040,909 17,910 246,951 5,469,178 13,714 ! 225,072 5,612,300 Blenheim .. .. .. 9,061 329 52,751 4,527 32,546 915 13,985 317,810 757 j 11,810 304,988 Christehurch .. .. .. 65,918 2,863 428,136 68,189 553,065 10,308 207,435 4,597,190 7,085 180,607 4,797,923 Dunedin .. .. .. 60,062 2,272 356,222 60,291 408,880 6,552 116,961 2,406,685 5,286 92,232 2,621,457 Gisborne .. .. .. 17,228 688 115,480 9,134 76,129 3,059 31,721 668,572 1,609 23,755 611,747 Greymouth .. .. .. 21,794 781 126,230 10,888 67,620 1,428 16,944 369,697 1,181 11,956 407,817 Hamilton .. .. .. 72,629 2,472 440,536 38,435 244,268 7,450 - 73,352 1,437,459 4,801 53,093 1,402,611 Invercargill .. .. .. 30,637 1,067 176,887 20,501 130,460 2,855 38,463 859,958 2,177 29,259 891,920 Napier .. .. .. .. 37,496 1,440 252,366 25,399 203,492 6,206 69,666 1,698,633 4,674 52,763 1,653,767 Nelson .. .. .. .. 16,225 606 96,683 12,132 84,851 1,593 23,236 505,405 1,205 19,490 532,867 New Plymouth .. .. .. 30,792 1,121 195,791 19,736 160,121 4,483 50,540 1,210,230 3,444 38,273 1,245,334 Oamaru .. .. .. 9,519 299 93,649 4,221 28,968 992 13,776 345,812 807 11,813 402,219 Thames.. .. .. .. 29,257 1,043 181,137 12,894 87,646 2,908 28,331 602,882 3,122 19,060 666,050 Timaru .. .. .. 19,038 657 201,665 9,607 69,653 2,339 33,312 867,827 1,860 28,676 979,476 Wanganui .. .. .. 39,675 1,282 259,472 21,160 140,985 4,401 60,627 1,284,302 3,292 48,268 1,274,344 Wellington .. .. .. 123,710 5,164 821,389 138,796 937,198 20,864 335,235 6,736,579 14,943 256,092 6,814,416 Westport .. .. .. 12,914 488 68,975 4,598 28,927 723 8,340 152,023 538 4,921 159,988 Western Samoa .. .. .. 1,621 104 12,409 172 1,145 256 1,392 29,043 82 j 742 26,479 Rarotonga .. .. .. 737 48 9,842 531 12,977 353 742 23,612 27 409 7,906 Grand totals .. .. 731,511 28,542 4,692,929 619,830 4,309,840 95,595 1,371,009 29,582,897 70,604 1,108,291 30,413,609

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Table No. 4. POST OFFICE SAVINGS-BANKS.—GENERAL STATEMENT. Table showing the Business of the Post Office Savings-banks in the various Postal Districts in New Zealand during the Year ended 31st March, 1925.

Average Average Number Average °i J,°„ Number Number Average rn „ t Cost of Number Number ™," Total Amount Amount ® of T t , Amount o?eaeh of Amount Excess of Excess of Manaee each of of Accounts standing to the standing to S Deposits Af n With- Total Amount of of each Deposits over Withdrawals ®§ Transac- Interest Accounts Accounts Credit of all the Credit Postal Districts. n „„ received rp ppived flnrins received drawals Withdrawals Withdrawal Withdrawals over Deposits Murine tion ' for the opened closed Open Accounts, of each Open at duri received during ieceived duri during the Period. during during during a, X™ g Deposit Period. during during inclusive of Open Ac- „, the f the the Period. during the the the Period. the Period. n',®,, or the the Interest to the count at Closeot Perlod . the Period . Period. _ -t-enoa. with _ Period. Period. p* Close of the Period. Close of P( ™| a Period. drawal. period. the Period. £ s. (1. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d.j £ s. d. £ d. £ s. d. I £ s. d. £ s. d. Auckland .. .. 177 246,951 5,469,177 16 1 22 2 11 225,072 5,612,300 0 6 24 18 8 .. j 143,122 4 5 269,923 14 3 17,910 13,714 129,3021 7,558,927 8 7 58 9 2 .. .. 14 13,985 317,810 9 1 22 14 6 11,810 304,988 1 2 25 16 6 12,822 7 11 .. .. .. 22,139 16 10 915 757 9,9001 634,333 12 0 64 1 6 Christchureh .. 74 207,435 4,597,189 17 6 22 3 3 180,607 4,797,922 13 10 26 11 4 .. ■ 200,732 16 4 .. .. 266,484 11 5 10,308 7,085 109,763! 7,413,572 2 9 67 10 10 Dunedin .. . ■ 72 116,961 2,406,685 0 4 20 11 6i 92,232 2,621,457 7 1 28 8 5 .. I 214,772 6 9 .. .. 173,016 1 0 6,552 5,286 70,776 4,679,111 0 6 66 2 3 Gisborne .. .. 28 31,721 668,572 1 5 21 1 6! 23,755 611,747 4 4 25 15 0 56,824 17 ] .. .. .. 36,724 7 6 3,059 1,609 18,482 1,051,584 12 1 56 17 11 Greymouth .. 24 16,944 369,697 2 8 21 16 5 11,956 407,816 11 9 34 2 2 .. 38,119 9 1 .. .. 29,423 5 9 1,428 1,181 12,613 788,749 11 9 62 10 8 Hamilton .. .. 84 73,352 1,437,459 9 7 19 11 11 53,093 1,402,610 15 0 26 8 4 34,848 14 7 ! .. .. .. 73,836 5 3 7,450 4,801 31,732 2,112,300 13 7 66 11 4 Invercargiil .. 37 38,463 859,958 7 11 22 7 2 29,259 891,919 17 8 30 9 8 .. j 31,961 9 8 .. .. 69,997 4 5 2,855 2,177 28,315 1,921,021 7 6 67 16 11 Napier .. .. 45 69,666 1,698,632 18 9 24 7 8 52,763 1,653,767 2 5 31 6 11 44,865 16 4.| .. .. .. 84,815 0 6 6,206 4,674 37,843 2,438,874 4 6 64 8 11 Nelson .. .. 31 23,236 505,405 1 1 21 15 0 19,490 532,867 2 11 27 6 10 .. 27,462 1 10 .. .. 35,342 4 1 1,593 1,205 15,978 963,644 1 7 60 6 3 New Plymouth .. 37 50,540 1,210,229 12 8 23 18 11 38,273 1,245,334 18 8 32 10 9 .. 35,105 6 0 .. .. 66,005 2 4 4,483 3,444 27,720 1,864,779 9 0 67 5 5 Oamaru .. .. 11 13,776 345,811 9 8 25 2 0 11,813 402,218 10 0 34 1 0 ... 56,407 0 4.. .. 25,140 18 0 992 807 8,895 668,575 5 3 75 3 3 Thames .. •• 37 28,331 602,881 10 8 21 5 7 19,060 666,049 14 0 34 18 11 .. 63,168 3 4 .. .. 38,379 7 4 2,908 3,122 20,245 1,072,190 18 9 52 19 2 Timaru .. .. 18 33,312 867,827 8 9 26 1 0 28,676 979,476 7 2 34 3 1 .. 111,648 18 5 .. .. 59,661 19 4 2,339! 1.860 21,267 1,601,631 19 9 75 6 2 Wanganui .. .. 43 60,627 1,284,301 17 1 21 3 8 48,268 1,274,343 13 5 26 8 0 9,958 3 8 .. .. .. 69,740 1 1 4,403 3,292 33,662 1,987,462 1 0 59 0 10 ' Wellington .. 95 335,235 6,736,578 14 10 20 1 11 256,092 6,814,415 19 6 26 12 2 .. 77,837 4 8 .. .. 345,954 0 8 20,864 14,943 151,925 9,792,897 16 11 64 9 2 Westport .. .. 19 8,340 152,023 4 5 18 4 7 4,921 159,988 7 1 32 10 3 .. 7,965 2 8.. .. 12,566 9 0 723 538 5,823' 41,789 14 10 58 13 11 Western Samoa .. 3 1,392 29,042 16 1 20 17 3 742 26,479 1 0 35 13 8 2,563 15 l! .. . .. 1,344 4 5 256 82 58l| 41,050 15 2 70 13 1 K Rarotonga .. .*. 6 742 23,612 4 2 31 16 5 409 7,905 16 5 19 6 6 15,706 7 9 .. .. •• 424 17 9 353 27 326| 16,131 5 6 49 9 8 Totals for year ended 855 1,371,009 29,582,897 2 9 21 11 6 1,108,29130,413,609 3 11 27 8 10 .. 830,712 1 2 95,000 9 19d. 1,680,919 10 10 95,595 70,604 735,148;46,948,628 1 0 63 17 3 . 31st March, 1925 . j ■

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Table No. 5. POST OFFICE SAVINGS-BANKS—GENERAL STATEMENT. Table showing the Business of the Post Office Savings-banks in New Zealand, by Ten-yeab Periods, feom the Date they were established in February, 1867, to the 31st December, 1918, and Yearly Periods thereafter to the Year ended 31st March, 1925.

Numbfir » "w v» Average of Post Average A n™* Number Number iNu^l Der Total Amount Amount sav®°l s N De m poIh s ° f Total Amount A ~ °' ot'wSh- Total Amount of A —Excess of Excess of Slg°l Ac»U Accents A " "Sw SS y„.„ ullll of Deposits each With- Deposits over Withdrawals ment Transac- Interest for S remain- A oommts of each Year. banks received rece ived during drawal Withdrawals over Deposits during tion, De- the Year. tnrirt iug 0pen in?lusTve ?f Opln ° P the at Year. thS. durmg the Year. during during the Year, during t£ Year. the g posit or <™ « at Close t°o?L AoSunt at Close of Year. the Year. Year. With- Year Year of the close of the Year. Close of the Year arawai. xear. the Year. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Year ended 31st Mar., 855 1,371,009 29,582,897 2 9 21 11 71,108,29130,413,609 3 11 27 8 10 .. 830,712 1 2 95,000 0 9-191,680,919 10 10 95,595 70,604 735,14846,948,628 1 0 63 17 3 1925 Year ended 31st Mar., 846 1,261,14129,598,372 4 8 23 9 4 1,075,037 29.510,320 19 6 27 9 0 88,051 5 2 .. 90,000 0 9-24 1,649,976 4 8 92.465 73,098 710,157 46,098,420 11 4 64 18 3 1924 Year ended 31st Mar., 840 1,175,10426,682.426 11 4 22 14 2 1,081,300 27,769,262 16 3 25 13 8 .. 1,086,836 4 11 70,650 0 7-51 1,605,525 1 10 78,490 66,630 690,79044,360,393 1 6 64 4 4 1923 Year ended 31st Mar., 831 1.227,59129,125,997 10 0 23 14 6 1,119,662 30.236,231 6 5 27 0 0 .. 1,110,233 16 5 60,000 0 6-131,599,907 2 0 89,859 75,748 678,93043,841,704 4 7 64 11 6 1922 ♦Fifteen months ended 819 1,664,206 44,302,852 5 4 26 12 5 1,458,008 41,162,486 9 10 28 4 8 3,140,365 15 6 .. 80,000 0 6-141,818,534 5 2 152,930118,894 664,819 43,352,030 19 0 65 4 2 31st March, 1921 Totals for 1919 .. 794 1,289,16129,758,448 9 7 23 1 8 994,247 25,962,378 2 6 26 2 3 3,796,070 7 1 .. 52,000 0 5-46 1,178,935 6 6 118,109 77,531 630,783 38,393,130 18 4 60 17 4 1918 .. 786 1,213,353 18,101,104 18 1 14 18 4 727,729 14,938,841 10 0 20 10 7 3,162,263 8 1 .. 32,000 0 3-96 1,059,471 17 8 76,869 53,015 590,205 33,418,125 4 9 56 12 5 1908 .. 593 706,101 9,674,075 4 0 13 14 0 484,672 9,417,820 10 3 19 8 8 256,254 13 9 .. 27,000 0 5-44 379,808 6 7 80,133 57,829 342,07712,159,293 18 1 35 10 11 1898 .. 409 281,749 3,279,611 7 5 1112 10 196,764 3,194,893 16 7 16 4 9 84,717 10 10 .. 8,500 0 4-26 128,128 16 6 37,265 26,628 169,968 4,957,771 5 5 29 3 5 1888 .. 290 145,355 1,544,747 7 11 10 12 6 96,204 1,387,471 1 10 14 8 5 157.276 6 1 .. 4,000 0 3-97 78,080 6 0 21,307 16,543 84,488 2,048,441 10 9 24 4 10 1878 .. 147 69,908 762,084 12 0 10 18 0 42,746 742,053 14 3 17 7 2 20,030 17 9 .. 2,500 0 5-33 31,664 12 9 13,005 9,634 32,132 819,071 8 2 25 9 9 1868 .. 55 13,014 194,535 11 6 14 18 11 6,365 107,094 17 3 16 16 6 87,440 14 3 .. 789 0 9-77 4,880 7 3 3,282 1,186 4,252 163,518 15 7 38 9 1 Totals from 1st Feb. to 46 6,977 96,372 7 10 13 16 3 1,919 26,415 18 9 13 15 3 69,956 9 1 .. 822 1 10-18 1,241 5 0 2,520 364 2,156 71,197 14 1 33 0 5 31st Dec., 1867 * Termination of Savings-bank year altered from 31st December to 31st March, with effect from 31st March, 1921.

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Table No. 6. Post Office Savings-bank. Receipts and Payments for the Twelve Months ended 31st March, 1925. Dr. £ s. d. Cr. £ s. d. Balance at credit of depositors on Ist Withdrawals, Ist April, 1924, to 31st April, 1924 .. .. .. 46,098,420 11 4 March, 1925 .. .. .. 30,413,609 311 Deposits, Ist April, 1924, to 31st Balance at credit of depositors, 31st March, 1925 .. .. .. 29,582,897 2 9 March, 1925 .. .. .. 46,948,628 1 0 Interest credited to depositors, Ist April, 1924, to 31st March, 1925 .. 1,680,919 10 10 £77,362,237 4 11 £77,362,237 4 11 Reserve Fund Account. Dr. £ s. d. Cr. £ s. d. Balance at credit on Ist April, 1924.. 1,000,000 0 0 Amount at credit of Reserve Fund Account on 31st March, 1925 .. 1,000,000 0 0 £1,000,000 0 0 £1,000,000 0 0 Liabilities and Assets. Dr. £ s. d. Cr. £ s. d. Balance at credit of Post Office Sayings- Securities (Post Office Savings-hank) 47,261,511 16 9 hank depositors on 31st March, 1925 46,948,628 1 0 Balance uninvested .. .. 918,826 9 6 Balance on transfer .. .. 16,748 15 0 Balance at credit of Reserve Fund Account .. .. .. 1,000,000 0 0 Balance of assets over liabilities .. 214,961 10 3 £48,180,338 6 3 £48,180,338 6 3 Profit and Loss Account. Dr. £ s. d. Cr. £ e. d. Interest credited to depositors during Balance forward .. .. 160,179 7 6 the year ended 31st March, 1925 .. 1,680,919 10 10 Interest received dur- £ s. d. Savings-bank profits carried to Postal ing the year .. 1,967,450 3 8 Revenue .. .. .. 160,000 0 0 Accrued interest, 31st Paid Public Account for cost of Sav- March, 1925 .. 571,644 10 4 ings-bank management .. .. 95,000 0 0 — Balance forward to next account .. 214,961 10 3 2,539,094 14 0 Less accrued interest on 31st March, 1924 552,921 11 11 1,986,173 2 1 Sundry receipts .. .. 4,528 11 6 £2,150,881 1 1 £2,150,881 1 1

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6 —F. 1

Table No. 7. Savings-bank Accounts bemaining open on 31st March, 1925, classified according to Balance at Credit of each Account.

i ! Exceeding Exceeding | Exceeding Exceeding Exceeding Exceeding Exceeding I Exceeding Exceeding Exceeding Exceeding j Exceeding Exceeding ] Exceeding j Total TK-tri-t oviiSw I I £50 £1°° £200 £800 £4 °0 £50° £600 i 2700 £800 £900 £1,000 £2,000 I £3,000 | £4,000 {Exceeding Number oi exoeeumg x&v ami | anf j U p alK j U p t 0 j anf } U p t :0 an d up to and up to and up to and up to i and up to and up to and up to and up to and up to and up to j and up to £5,000. Accounts fczu. j up to iou. , £10(x £20a I £40a £600 £700 I jjgQp £900 £1,000. £2,000. £8,000. £4,000. ! £6,000. open. ; ■_ ' ' _ j I ; i Auckland .. 92,051 10,584 7,346 0,947 3,371 1,924 1,411 1,045 617 427 306 200 693 72 24 15 16 127,049 Blenheim .. 6.839 903 644 586 1 299 206 133 99 47 30 32 17 56 6 3 .. 9,900 Christchurch .. 73,803 10,868 7,676 6,976 i 3,529 2,138 I 1,491 978 656 407 241 222 674 78 15 7 4 109,763 Dunedin .. 47,009 6,865 4,924 4,772 2,556 1,586! 1,024 698 445 257 160 121 322 27 4 3 3 70,776 Feilding .. 838 311 221 198 99 58 34 41 17 7 5 10 19 2 2 1 1,863 Gisborne .. 13,146 1,757 1,162 958 486 261 211 161 93 64 43 45 86 12 5 1 1 18.482 Greymouth .. 7,238 883 618 643 323 214 ' 155 97 69 40 34 19 65 5 1 .. 10,404 Hamilton .. 20,576 3,576 2,515 2,217 951 548 ! 396 302 180 121 77 76 171 22 2 2 31,732 Hastings .. 2,159 734 606 490 248 149 100 67 33 39 22 11 38 8 1 2 4,707 Hawera .. 1,658 385 290 245 147 76 i 71 25 26 14 7 10 25 5 .. .. 2,984 Hokitika .. 1.630 164 107 116 57 46 26 16 17 5 3 6 6 .. .. .. 2,209 Invercargill .. 18,366 2,850 2,124 2,083 1,004 (>00 426 319 177 98 60 65 117 19 5 1 1 28,315 Masterton .. 1,664 577 411 390 188 120 69 59 29 28 16 8 45 7 1 1 3,613 Napier .. 23,423 3.103 2,100 1,825 ! 913 500 £86 275 153 106 71 73 ISO 15 7 4 2 33,136 Nelson .. 10,695 1,658 1,169 1,054 533 326 199 93 81 44 32 23 63 6 1 1 15,978 New Plymouth .. 17,723 2,180 1,525 1,337 i 635 426 267 221 111 76 59 50 108 11 4 2 1 24,736 Oamaru .. 5,496 993 722 686 ! 376 188 155 92 57 39 30 22 35 3 .. 1 8.895 Palmerston North 8,265 1,483 982 952 ! 486 281 175 139 93 64 33 19 82 15 3 1 13,073 Thames .. 14,637 1,795 1,197 1,114 529 294 197 169 98 52 36 31 77 12 4 1 2 20,245 Timaru .. 13,249 2,409 1,700 1,597 767 500 310 232 118 87 73 47 157 14 4 1 2 21,267 Wanganui .. 22,613 3,291 2,736 1,843 1,125 637 479 301 145 135 107 38 184 23 2 3 33,662 Wellington .. 91,817 12,097 9,467 8,483 3,710 2,287 1.649 1,126 721 517 342 255 761 91 29 15 9 133,376 Westport .. 4,272 438 312 301 167 120 67 43 29 16 18 7 29 2 1 1 5,823 Western Samoa .. 353 83 47 55 16 3 6 3 3 1 3 .. 5 2 1 581 Whangarei .. 1,225 336 249 198 102 47 29 23 14 9 6 3 12 .. .. .. 2,253 Rarotonga .. 206 42 35 22 4 9 3 2 .. 2 .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 326 Totals 31st March, 500,951 70,365 50,875 46,088 22,621 13,544 9,479 6,626 4,029 2,685 1,816 1,378 4,011 457 116 62 45 735,148 1925 Totals 31st March, 481,861 69,640 48,842 43,521 22,557 13,324 9,328 6,656 3,948 2,706 1.962 1,520 3,656 415 112 55 54 710,157 1924 1

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Table No. 8. Table showing the Estimated Number of Letters and Letter-cards, Post-cards. Book-packets, Newspapers, and Parcels posted and delivered in the several Postal Districts of New Zealand during the Year ended 31st December, 1924.

Posted in the Dominion. Delivered in the Dominion. Total posted and delivered. Postal District 1 i j j ; (1924). LeMer-cards. | Post " card8, Books, <Sc. Newspapers. Parcels, j letter-cards. Po 8 t " cards - Books, &c. Newspapers. Parcels. Letter-cards. Post-cards. Books, &c. Parcels. j | I I ! Auckland .. 33,816,415 924,755 13,513,601 5,088,243 929,123 27,445,795 725,179 9,699,209 4,036,240 642,915 61,262,210 1,649,93423,212,810 9,124,483 1,572,038 Blenheim .. 1,579,215, 22,334 389,528 190,658 21,684 1,547,793 36,738 450,684 413,725 65,364 3,127,008 59,072 840,212 604,383 87,048 Christchurch .. 17,738,937 507,845 6,148,108 1,828,934 439,387 18,870,878 820,430 6,709,638 2,500,3941 351,689 36,609,815 1,328,275 12,857,746 4,329,328 791,076 Dunedin .. 11,600,606 443,820 5,034,225 1,669,576 305,929 10,369,879 407,381 4,191,122 1,847,612 303,160 21,970,485 851,201 9,225,347 3,517,188 609,089 Gisborne .. 2,561,375 23,504 605,583 528,598 49,647 2,982,551 52,442 1,062,646 1,080,716 108,901 5,543,926 75,946 1,668,229 1,609,314 158,548 Greymouth .. 1,621,184 35,698 347,680 271,193 42,302 1,991,002 38,207 441,415 490,828 92,625 3,612,186 73,905 789,095 762,021 134,927 Hamilton .. 8,018,511 200,174 1,667,902 895,372 109,018 8,499,361 247,949 2,771,652 1,568,580 298,441 16,517,872 448,123 4,439,554 2,463,952 407,459 Invercargill .. 6,406,805 148,850 2,145,089 754,638 87,542 6,972,251 184,327 2,199,275 1,136,811 162,331 13,379,056 333,177 4,344,364 1,891,449 249,873 Napier .. 6,582,880 106,639 2,161,139 802,242 96,135 7,661,459 156,650 3,144,505 1,615,666 225,368 14,244,339 263,289 5,305,644 2,417,908 321,503 Nelson .. 2,194,438 48,919 626,672 210,806 49,049 2,345,850 58,981 825,201 539,695 108,706 4,540,288 107,900 1,451,873 750,501 157,755 New Plymouth 4,484,293 119,925 1,416,327 485,634 68,900 5,017,519 150,657 1,893,736 895,193 169,351 9,501,812 270,582 3,310,063 1,380,827 238,251 Oamaru .. 1,353,126. 53,261 392,820 139,269 22,776 1,431,833 84,383 696,943 304,980 41,093 2,784,959 137,644 1,089,763 444,249 63,869 Thames .. 2,731,664 54,275 736,642 286,847 44,512 3,446,222 98,215 1,181,453 617,357 140,218 6,177,886 152,490 1,918,095 904,204 184,730 Timaru .. 2,969,431 70,369 850,033 234,664 46,930 3,282,513 141,258 1,106,352 533,026 99,723 6,251,944 211,627 1,956,385 767,690 146,653 Wanganui .. 5,259,430 98,592 1,701,939 816,880 92,339 5,178,797 119,938 2,078,583 1,031,212 211,003 10,438,227 218,530 3,780,522 1,848,092 303,342 Wellington .. 26,751,606 492,981 12,691,086 3,999,505 960,711 27,578,492 552,876 9,429,592 4,210,385 574,167 54,330,098 1,045,857 22,120,678 8,209,890 1,534,878 Westport .. 777,400 11,206 147,375 138,931 17,459 1,088,802 33,826 228,644 312,039 46,397 1,866,202 45,032 376,019 450,970 63,856 Western Samoa 69,468 .1,098 2,508 10,878 552 84,144 120 2,004 115,170 3,054 153,612 1,218 4,512 126,048 3,606 Totals .. 136,516,784 3,364,245 50,578,257 18,352,868 3,383,995135,795,141 3,909,557 48,112,654 23,249,629 3,644,506 272,311,925 7,273,802 98,690,91141,602,497 7,028,501 Previous year 122,558,296 2,950, 114 ( 41,452,818 17,030,450 3,342,208129,463,663 3,653,179 38,093,182 21,108,247 3,544,650 252,021,959 6,603,293 79,546,000 38,138,697 6,886,858

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Table No. 9. Registered Articles. The number of registered articles dealt with in 1924, compared with the number in 1890, 1900, 1910, and 1923, is as follows :— 1890. 1900. 1910. 1923. 1924. From places beyond the Dominion 26,374 52,343 132,493 177,332 198,792 Registered in the Dominion ... 169,321 464,036 993,675 1,825,874 2,046,831 Totals ... ... 195,695 516,379 1,126,168 2,003,206 2,245,623

Table No. 10. Parcel-post. The following shows the number and weight of parcels posted during the vears 1890, 1900, 1910, 1923, and 1924

The following table shows the number and weight of parcels exchanged with the United Kingdom and the undermentioned places during the years 1923 and 1924: —

7—F. 1.

— 1890. 1900. ! 1910. 1923. 1924. | Number .. 121,292 199,413 1,190,711 3,342,208 3,383,995 Weight .. 336,6431b. 12 oz. 682,104 lb. 7 oz. 3,953,284 lb. 15 oz. 16,821,332 1b. 17,031,0481b.

Keceived. Despatched. Places. 1923. 1924. 1923. 1924. Number. J Weight. Number.! Weight. Number. | Weight. Number. | Weight. lb. lb. lb. lb. United Kingdom and foreign 174,859 1,128,219 176,284 1,112,5:54 18,546 73,883 19,340 82,024 countries (via London) United States of America .. 59,424 396,686 62,486 412,116 3,795 15,341 3,939 16,983 Canada.. .. 9,338 67,384 9,806 01,123 1,323 4,776 1,323 . 3,962 Victoria .. •• 21,365 91,708 16,963 72,827 4,033 13,287 4,330 15,814 New South Wales .. 26,746 104,601 27,474 98,490 8,159 26,545 8,524 28,758 South Australia .. .. 924 2,393 844 2,259 586 1,908 654 2,484 Queensland .. .. 1,179 2,929 1,112 3,105 977 2,947 1,078 3,333 Tasmania .. •• 505 994 449 939 566 1,278 580 1,427 Western Australia .. 651 1,446 483 1,025 487 1,338 495 1,554 Fiji .. .. .. 552 1,386 666 1,412 1,507 5,155 1,739 6,476 Ceylon .. •• 538 3,098 453 2,112 131 524 132 824 Cape of Good Hope .. 1,000 3,979 1,163 4,234 110 428 95 399 Natal .. .. • • •• •• •• •• 305 966 334 1,168 India .. .. •• 3,843 29,509 2,571 16,949 709 3,767 707 3,755 Tonga .. 74 250 49 158 943 3,954 1,115 5,245 Tahiti .. •• 57 289 39 235 435 2,613 1,006 6,192 Hong Kong .. 1,412 9,784 1,561 11,078 398 1,919 451 2,041 Straits Settlements ■ . 258 805 323 1,050 233 983 230 966 Solomon Islands .. 2 2.. .. 4 21 5 9 New Hebrides .... 3 6 2 11 2 7 2 5 Uruguay -• • ■ • • • • ■ • • • 57 245 60 249 Pitcairn Island . . 279* 606* 293* 636* 117 530 98 452 Norfolk Island .. • . 1 3.. .. 1 3 5 8 Ellioe Island ■ 6 11 Aden 19 119 30 160 Fanning Island • • • • 41 203 80 374 101 394 Egypt .. •• ■ • •■ • ■ • • • • ■ • •• 17 83 Totals .. •• 103,041 1,846,207 303,092 1,802,656 43,510 162,792 46,360 184,605 * Estimated.

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Table No. II. Comparative Table showing the Development in the Telegraph, Toll, and Telephone Exchange Services during the Ten year Periods ended 30th June, 1866 and 1876, the 31st December, 1886, the 31st March, 1896; 1906, 1916; and the past Five Years.

. Telegraph and Toll. Number of Telegrams and Toll Messages forwarded during the Year. Revenue in respect of Telegraph, Toll, and Telephone Exchange Services. j Telegrams. Telegraph. Total Year. Number Number Numher ; i 1 Total j . Telegraph, M S e ? of Mile's of Offices I Night Total i Night Miseel- Kevenae I line" Wire * °P ened - Ordinary. I Urgent. Press. L tp?5" Number of ! Messages. Ordinary. ! Urgent. Press. L tpip r ~ Te£ff°aTih Telegraph I aeveime - Exchange i lme - j | gJSi. meat " Telegrams. | K Kevenue. £ £ £ £ ! £ £ £ £ j ' £. £ 30th June, 1866 699 1,390 13 *24,761 .. .. .. 2,476 27,237 .. *5,562 .. .. ... 483 .. 6,045 .. .. 6,045 1876 3,154 7,24.7 142 *890,382 .. .. .. 160,704 1,051,086 .. *62,716 .. .. .. 16,154 .. 78,870 .. .. 78,870 31st Dec,, 1886 4,546 11,178 412 *fl,583,717 .. .. .. 252,549 1,836,266 ,. *t88,385 .. .. .. (27,281 .. 115,666 .. {18,254 133,920 31stMar., 1896 6,245£ 15,764J 743 tl,553, 232 59,038 198.108 .. 224,579 2,034,957 89,254 f73,160 7,510 9,508 .. (25,844 4,889 120,911 2,110 25,934 148,955 1906 8,355 25,116 1,312 3,995,998 211,571 379,185 .. 289,135 4.875,889 764,330 133,204 12,807 18,095 .. 124,168 3,895 192.169 16,368 89,542 298,079 1916 13,684 48,052 2,413 6,062,131 299,823 383,155 .. 127,841 6,872,950 3,963,801 223,843 22,770 27,557 .. ; 9,085 163,488 446,743 111,969(287,547 846,259 1921 13,724 51,643 2,338 6,324,982 394,569 372,683 5,525 116,385 7,214,144 6,786,707 356,107 44,365 36,336 494 7,036 12,745 457,083 254,182 533,534 1,244,799 1922 13,767 (52,176 2,327 5,341,479 238,024 364,535 18,210 152,428 6,114,676 6,819,789 336,660 31,366 47,437 1,639 8,458 12,009 437,569 268,753 '614,367 1,320,689 1923 11,912 48,616 2,307 5,285,175 228,904 389,607 32,880 170,385 6,106,951 7,406,257 322,372 27,448 52,695 2,554 9,728 13,936 428,733 294,374 [595.967 1,319,074 1924 12,954 52,910 2,295 5,581,185 265,772 432.120 106,219 69,597 6,454.893 8.021,973 288,183 27,686 61,661 5,287 4,930 11,566 399,313 317,512 830,470 1,547,295 1925 12,938 56,415 2,264 5,827,745 292,885 461,875 215,473 61,560 6,859,538 8,612,412 300,426 30,145 63,601 10,535 4,420 15,190 424,317 344,393 [867, 218 1,635,928 * Includes private, press, and Provincial Government messages. t Includes " delayed" telegrams. J Includes miscellaneous telegraph revenue. Note. —Inland Telegram Tariff : Prior to the 1st September, 1869, inland telegrams were charged for on a mileage basis. From that date a uniform rate was fixed of 2s. 6d. for ten words, and 6d. for each additional five words. From the 1st April, 1870, the minimum charge was reduced to Is. From the 1st November, 1873, the rate was further reduced to Is. for ten words, and Id. for each additional word, address and signature, hitherto charged for, being free up to ten words. From the 1st July, 1877, there was introduced the "urgent" code, at double the ordinary rate. From thelst July, 1878, a "delayed" system was introduced, the rate being fixed at 6d. for ten words, exclusive of address and signature up to ten words, and Jd. for each additional word. From the 1st February, 1892, the number of words allowed for the minimum charge in each case was increased to twelve, with free address and signature up to six words. From the 15th August, 1892, the ordinary rate was fixed at Is. for eighteen words, including address and signature. From the 1st June, 1896, the rate was fixed at 6d. for twelve words, including address and signature, and Id. for each additional word; and "delayed" telegrams were abolished. From the 1st November, 1906, the charge for additional words was reduced to £d. each. From the 23rd September, 1915, the ordinary rate was increased from 6d. to 8d. for twelve words (" urgent " Is. 2d.); and on the 1st August, 1920, it was further increased to Is. for twelve words, and Id. for each additional word ; ("urgent," 2s., and 2d. for each additional word); Sundays and holidays, double rates. From the 1st November. 1920, there was introduced a system of night letter-telegrams, to be delivered by post on the morning following the day of presentation. The rate (since altered) was Is. 6d. for thirty-six words and for each additional word. From the 1st February, 1923, the rate for ordinary telegrams was reduced to 9d. for twelve words, the charge for each additional word remaining at Id. ("urgent" Is. 6d., and 2d. for each additional word). From the same date the night letter-telegram rate was reduced to 9d. for twenty-seven words and Id. for each additional three words.

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Table No. 12. Table showing the Number forwarded and the Revenue derived from Toll Calls and Paid Telegrams of all Codes and the Value of franked Government Telegrams at the undermentioned Postal Districts during the Twelve Months ended 31st March, 1925,

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given printing (1,075 copies, including graphs and iilustrations), £107 10s,.

Authority : W. A. G. Skinner, Government Printer, Wellington.—l92s.

Price 2s ]

B T^ e £ < £j Ved V„I„„ of Total Value of Number of Total Number of I'ostal District. Telegrams of aU Government Paid Telegrams and GovSmnmt all Oodes a md Toll Calls. iOU j TelegramS ' and Toll Calls. ™ telegrams "" T °" £ £ 1 £ Auckland .. .. 118,775 626 j 119,401 2,591,265 8,502 2,599,767 Blenheim .. .. 11,761 111 I 11,872 267,632 1,571 269,203 Christchurch .. .. 80,930 517 81,447 1,553,098 7,484 1,560,582 Dunedin .. .. 57,889 256 58,145 1,133,174 3,263 1,136,437 Gisborne .. .. 24,712 220 24,932 419,306 2,646 421,952 Greymouth .. .. 15,071 214 15,285 278,177 4,169 282,346 Hamilton .. .. 56,248 20 56,268 1,308,183 1,402 1,309,585 Invercargill .. .. 35,000 60 35,060 769,604 925 770,529 Napier .. .. .. 50,071 149 50,220 1,081,471 2,012 1,083,483 Nelson .. .. .. 13,883 167 14,050 317,103 4,054 321,157 New Plymouth .. .. 33,017 49 33,066 755,263 951 756,214 Oamaru .. .. .. 9,723 35 j 9,758 163,512 492 164,004 Thames .. .. .. 20,707 25 1 20,732 490,126 490 490,616 Timaru .. .. .. 23,572 94 23,666 465,919 1,284 467,203 Wanganui .. .. 37,851 83 37,934 756,535 1,585 758,120 Wellington .. . 154,058 1,667 155,726 2,939,097 18,942 2,958,039 Westport .. . . 5,832 127 5,959 120,925 1,788 122,713 Totals, 1924-25 749,100 4,420 753,521 15,410,390 61,560 15,471,950 Totals, 1923-24 700,329 4,930 705,259 14,407,269 69,597 14,476,866

F.—l.

New Post-office, St. Heliers.

Laying Ducts for Underground Telephone-cables, Hereford Street, Christchurch.

F.—l,

Telephone Exchange, Stout Street, Wellington.

F.—l.

Wireless Station, Aitutaki: Opened 10th June, 1924.

Wireless Station, Mangaia: Opened 6th August, 1924.

F.—l.

Automatic Telephone Exchange, Wellesley Street, Auckland. Small section of relays and selecting switches undergoing final adjustment.

This report text was automatically generated and may include errors. View the full page to see report in its original form.

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POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT (REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR 1924-25., Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1925 Session I, F-01

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26,928

POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT (REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR 1924-25. Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1925 Session I, F-01

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POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT (REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR 1924-25. Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1925 Session I, F-01

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POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT (REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR 1924-25. Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1925 Session I, F-01

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No known copyright (New Zealand)

POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT (REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR 1924-25. Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1925 Session I, F-01

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No known copyright (New Zealand)