5

R—l.

The official postage for the nine months amounted to £41,625 65., which, added to the cash revenue of £115,680 14s. 3d., brought up the gross earnings of the department to £157,306 os. 3d. for the financial period. OITICUIi COEBEBPOSDEU'C.E. The value of the free or franked correspondence is estimated at £62,437 18s. lid., against £56,176 os. lOd. for the previous year, an increase of £6,231. The weight exceeded 200 tons, and the proportion posted in each postal district is shown by the following statement: — Letters. Books. £ s. d. Letters. Books. £ s. ct. Auckland ... 9,681 lb. ..." B,BoBlb. ... 3,131 18 9 Blenheim ... 1,187 lb. ... 2,843 1b,... 417 1 7 Thames ... 1,331 „ ... 339 ~ ... 370 0 8 Christchurch 7,801 „ ... 22,321 „ ... 2,903 11 11 New Plymouth 3,081 „ ... 209,, ... 883 12 7 Timaru ... 948J „ ... 139,, ... 260 12 0 Napier" ... 1.228J- „ ... 3,727 „ ... 450 8 9 Oamaru ... 437 i „ ... 70 „ ... 119 0 0 Wanganui ... 3,618 „ ... 1,416 „ ... 1,013 10 6 Dunedin ... 25,770 „ ... 11,891 „ ... 7,377 17 9 Wellington ...131,027 „ ...200,172,, ...42,027 5 2 lnyereargill ... 2,274 „ ... 2,248,, ... 700 15 2 Nelson ... 1,715 „ ... 2,471 „ ... 554 0 6 ■ . Westport ... 611J „ ... 311 „ ... 178 4 3 Total ... ... £62,437 18 11 G-reymouth ... 1,486J- „ ... 56 „ ... 399 19 2 - ,- Hokitika ... 2,484 „ ... 2,130 „ ... 744 0 2 This description of correspondence is largely on the increase. The newly-organised department for the collection of the land-tax made very free use of the Post Office, and it has been estimated that over 50,000 letters were posted from Wellington alone during the year on the business of the LandTax Department. The gratuitous service rendered other departments of the public service by the Post Office was both, large and important, and entailed considerable labour and expense. The list of persons authorized to frank has grown to such an unreasonable size that it has been determined, if practicable, to reduce it, and at the same time bring into operation a more satisfactory system for the franking of official correspondence than at present exists. Of the several departments of the public service, the Government Insurance Department was the only one which paid for the transmission of its correspondence through the post, Now that the Post Office makes full payment for the carriage of its mails by railway, it has been decided to claim from the Railway Department a reasonable sum for the service rendered in transmitting railway correspondence through the post. Dead Lettebs. The increase in the number of letters dealt with at the Dead Letter Office has not been so large since 1875. The number disposed of during the year was 76,887, against 07,473 for the preceding year. The table below shows the number of unclaimed letters received in the Dead Letter Office, and how disposed of, year by year, since 1874: —

There were also 4,820 book-packets and circulars returned to the senders, and 91 book-packets returned to other countries. Tlie proportion of letters sent to the Dead Letter Office, out of the total number transmitted, was as Ito 272. In the United Kingdom the proportion was as Ito 217 for 1878. The following are the particulars of the number and articles of value enclosed in letters opened in the Dead Letter Office :—■ £ s. d. 134 money orders for ... ... ... ~, ... 434 10 8 63 bank drafts ... ... ... ... 3,458 10 7 83 cheques ... ... ... ... ... ... 592 8 3 2 promissory notes ... ... ... ... ... ... 324 1 4 Postage stamps ... ... ... ... ... ... 3 19 10 Banknotes ... ... ... ... ... 99 0 0 Gold ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 21 10 0 Silver and copper ... ... ... ... ... ... 016 10 Representing a total of ... ... ... £4,934 17 6 There were also received in the Dead Letter Office :— 2 silver watches, 5 gold rings (two of which were set with precious stones), 2 war medals, and 1 small gold medal. 811 unclaimed registered letters. 44 letters posted without addresses. 259 letters detained for postage; of which only 13 were subsequently prepaid and forwarded. 749 newspapers and 381 books and other articles without addresses ; of these, it was found practicable to deliver 84.

Manner of Disposal. 1874. 1875. 1876. 1877. 1878. 1879. )pened and returned to the writers Returned unopened to other countries leissued ... destroyed Returned unopened by Chief Postmasters 26,153 6,828 105 4,227 39,051 10,321 78 6,081 44,007 9,703 83 5,217 52,607 9,835 94 3,417 53,483 8,733 117 5,140 61,589 9,713 122 4,788 725 Totals 37,313 55,531 59,070 65,953 67,473 76,887