NEW ZEALAND POSTAL SERVICE.

7

E.—No. 1

RETURN of PROPERTY found in DEAD LETTERS and CLAIMED during the years 1866 and 1867.

Registered Letters. This branch of the business of tho Post Office shows, as will be seen by the following comparative Return for the years 1865, 1866, and 1867, a small falling off in the latter as compared with the previous year. This is chiefly to be attributed to the fact that the large increase in the number of registered letters which took place in the year 1866 was caused by exceptional circumstances which have now ceased to operate.

RETURN of the NUMBER of LETTERS REGISTERED at the various Post Offices in the different Provinces in New Zealand during the years 1865, 1866, and 1867.

Money Orders. The detailed statements of Money Orders issued and paid in New Zealand, which is furnished in tables Numbers 1 and-2, show an increase in both instances over the number of transactions which took place in 1866. This is the more worthy of remark as the increase of 1866 over the previous year was very large; and it is in this portion of the Post Office business that the influence of general commercial depression might have been expected to be most severely felt. As in previous years, the number and amount of Orders issued in New Zealand very largely exceeds that of Orders issued elsewhere and paid in the Colony. Considerable sums of money in the aggregate appear to be forwarded by means of Post Office Orders to Victoria and New South Wales ; while to the United Kingdom the remittances by this means exceed the receipts by about £34,000 per annum. Savings Banks. At the date of my last Report the system of Post Office Savings Banks had been but recently introduced. Its progress since that time has been eminently satisfactory. I append elaborate tables, Numbers 3, 4,5, 6, 7, and 8, which have been carefully prepared by Mr. Pagan, the Controller of Money Orders and Savings Banks, showing in great detail the number and character of transactions at each Post Office Savings Bank throughout the Colony. It will be seen that in nearly every instance the amount of deposits has gone on steadily increasing, until the aggregate has risen from £3,180 2s. 2d. on the Ist March, 1867, to the sum of £101,168 -6s. 2d. on the 31st of May, 1868. This result is gratifying, as an evidence not only of material prosperity on the part of an important portion of the community, but also of the growth of habits of prudence and thrift which it was the object of these Savings Banks to foster and encourage. This branch of the

Description oe Property. 1866. 1867. Sills of Exchange Jank Notes loney Orders 'oin 'romissory Notes, Acceptances, &c. Sank Receipts h'ders Cheques 'ostage Stamps Varrants tings, lockets, &c. £ s. d. 1,460 7 10 56 0 0 126 11 0 3 0 0 1,365 4 3 41 0 0 6 5 7 59 3 10 0 12 0 8 15 0 £ s. d. 2,541 13 10 63 0 0 127 13 6 2 12 6 52 0 2 30' 0 0 32 16 10 Two Totals 3,126 19 6 2,849 16 10

1865. 1866. 1S67. Provinces. To 'laces To _?: .laces To 'laces Totals. Totals. Totals. Without tho Colony. Within the Colony. Without the J Colony. Within the Colony. Without the Colony. Within the Colony. Auckland ... taranaki ... ilawke's Bay iVellington kelson Harlborougli Janterbury )tago Southland... 1,806 278 122 631 419 225 2,608 3,772 479 3,702 329 297 1,775 1,035 1,076 3,936 5,016 479 5,508 607 419 2,406 1,454 1,301 6,544 8,788 958 1,309 232 165 988 572 170 6,217 2,960 329 5,190 327 363 2,604 841 565 6,302 5,711 483 6,499 559 528 3,592 1,413 735 12,519 8,671 812 850 168 157 916 811 124 5,467 2,810 422 4,048 210 444 3,088 1,19.1 435 5,565 4.761 832 4,898 378 601 4,004 2,002 559 11,032 7,571 1,254 Totals 10,340 17,645 27,985 12,942 22,386 35,328 11,725 20,574 32,299