F.—l

1884. NEW ZEALAND.

POST OFFICE AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT (REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR 1883.

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

Sie,— General Post Office, Wellington, 21st June, 1884. I have to submit to your Excellency the report on the Postal and Telegraph Service for the year 1883, with a statement of the revenue and expenditure to the 31st March last. I have, &c, B. Oliver, Postmaster-General and Commissioner of Telegraphs. His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand.

BEPOBT. Although there was not that general expansion of business which was recorded for 1882, the operations for the past year were otherwise satisfactory. The Telegraph business received a temporary check from the trade depression which prevailed in different parts of the colony. The transmitted messages increased by only 29,211 in number for the year, against an increase of 131,417 in 1882. While the condition of trade affected the Telegraph, its influence was not felt by the Post Office. The additional number of letters, &c, dealt with, and the increase of postal revenue collected within the colony, were about equal to the increase of former years. The receipts from postages from foreign post offices was £3,678 lis. lid. less than the sum brought to charge under this head for 1882. This is an explanation of the increase of revenue being less than the increase of last year. The combined Postal and Telegraph revenue for the last financial year was £269,184 7s. 4d.—an increase of £4,549 9s. 2d. The Postal receipts increased £4,683 14s. 10d., while the revenue from the Telegraph branch fell off £134 ss. Bd. The expenditure for postal and telegraph services was £252,097 14s. 9d., against £254,547 10s. 3d. expended the previous year—a decrease of £2,449 15s. 6d. The balance of revenue over expenditure for the year, was £17,086 12s. 7d. The Postal and Telegraph revenue and expenditure for the financial year ended 31st March last are given in the statement underneath :—

33,588,408 letters were dealt with—an increase of over three millions. 1,599,400 telegrams of all codes were transmitted—29,2ll messages more than were dealt with in the former year. I—F. 1.

Eevenue. Stamps used for postage Money-order commission collected in tho colony Money-order commission received from foreign offices Private box and bag fees Postage from foreign post offices Miscellaneous receipts (postal) Ordinary and Press telegrams Telephone exchanges Miscellaneous receipts (telegraph) £ s. d. 132,000 0 0 9,3-53 14 2 328 7 10 4,150 0 0 20,627 5 3 10,223 1 6 81,683 17 3 7,746 16 7 3,071 4 9 Expenditure. Salaries Conveyance of mails by sea Conveyance of inland mails Money-order commission credited to foreign offices Maintenance and repairs of telegraph lines, and miscellaneous Cable subsidies £ s. d. 120,458 4 11 60,467 16 4 26,117 11 4 1,385 10 7 38,318 11 7 5,350 0 0 Balance of revenue over expenditure 252,097 14 9 17,086 12 7 £269,184 7 4 £269,184 7 4