F.—l

Office, numbered 56,684, for sums amounting in all to £147,155 2s. 9d. 21,514 money-orders, for £77,219 3s. 6d. from places beyond New Zealand, were paid. The balance against the colony on foreign money-order account was therefore £69,935 19s. 3d. In 1890 the balance against the colony was £53,243 19s. sd. 18,800 telegraph money-orders, for £62,407 6s. 5d., were issued, compared with 18,468, for £60,869 9s. 3d., issued in 1890. The money-order commission received for the year amounted to £9,649 14s. 9d. In 1890 the amount was £8,823 10s. A direct exchange of money-orders between New Zealand, Hongkong, and Cape Colony respectively has been established. Formerly, orders drawn on these countries were transmitted through the London Office. Prom the Ist May last the maximum amount for which a single money-order may be issued in New Zealand for payment in the colony, Australia, or Tasmania, was raised from £10 to £20 ; a change made reciprocal with Australia and Tasmania. The rates of commission were fixed at, — Inland. s. d. For sums not exceeding £5 ... ... ... ... ... 0 6 Exceeding £5, but not exceeding £10 ... ... ... ... 1 0 Exceeding £10, but not exceeding £15 ... ... ... ... 1 6 Exceeding £15, but not exceeding £20 ~. ... ... ... 2 0 Intercolonial. For sums not exceeding £2 ... ... ... ... ... 0 6 For sums exceeding £2, but not exceeding £5 ... ... ... 1 0 Exceeding £5, but not exceeding £7 ... ... ... ... 1 6 Exceeding £7, but not exceeding £10 ... ... ... ... 2 0 Exceeding £10, but not exceeding £12 ... ... ... ... 2 6 Exceeding £12, but not exceeding £15 ... ... ... ... 3 0 Exceeding £15, but not exceeding £17 ... ... ... ... 3 6 Exceeding £17, but not exceeding £20 ... ... ... ... 4 0 The maximum amount of a telegraph money-order, issued in the colony for payment within the colony, was also raised to £20, and the commission reduced from 4d. to 3d. for each pound or fraction of a pound. The fee of Is. for telegraphing each order was not changed. Postal Notes. The postal-note business continues to increase at a satisfactory rate. 214,334 postal-notes, of the value of £78,808 10s. 1-J-d., were sold during the year, compared with 184,599 notes, for £69,461 19s. 7d., sold in 1890—an increase of 29,735 in number, and £9,346 10s. 6-Jd. in amount. The postal-notes paid numbered 212,645, for £76,865 Is. 6d. The commission amounted to £1,518 os. 1-Jd., an increase of £190 19s. 6Jd. over the amount received in 1890. From the 21st September last the currency of all postal-notes was extended from four to twelve months. • y~j Savings-banks. Fifteen savings-bank offices were opened—namely, Babylon, Dunback, Eltham, Fowler's, Hinds, Hunterville, Kaimata, Kuaotunu, Makaretu, Middiemarch, Nenthorn, Norsewood, Totara Flat, Waipiro Bay, Wellsford. The number of post-offices open for the transmission of savings-bank business at the end of 1891 was 311. The number of new accounts opened was 25,131, compared with 23,719 opened in 1890—an increase of 1,412. 17,872 accounts were closed, compared with 17,256 closed in 1890—an increase of 616. The total number of post-office savings-bank accounts open on the 31st December, 1891, with classified balances, and the number open at the end of 1890, are given in the table below : —

xiii

Postal District Not exceeding £20. Exceeding £20 and up to £50. Exceeding £50 and up to £100. Exceeding £100 and .up to £200. Exceeding .£200 and up to £300. Exceeding £300 and up to £400. Exceeding £400 and up to £500. H.S Total. Auckland Blenheim 3hristchurch Dunedin 3-isborne 3-reymouth Bokitika [nvereargill Napier (Sfclson Slew Plymouth.. Damaru Thames rimaru Wanganui Wellington Westport 9,137 1,881 15,482 12,521 784 1,616 709 2,977 3,597 2,575 1,716 1,310 2,289 2,370 3,448 12,729 936 1,336 253 2,798 1,917 119 225 128 532 562 330 301 223 314 391 551 3,010 167 792 157 1,549 1,092 73 167 93 319 367 230 191 180 174 246 310 1,467 97 759 107 989 802 56 124 57 207 253 182 118 119 140 174 192 809 82 276 38 291 279 10 24 14 64 75 58 40 24 41 48 80 200 18 80 16 104 71 6 10 0 10 18 15 9 6 13 9 15 95 6 46 6 36 37 2 3 4 6 8 13 10 8 6 7 15 50 4 30 3 38 25 1 4 4 6 2 2 1 5 'J 12 25 2 12,456 2,461 21,287 16,744 1,051 2,173 1,011 4,119 4,886 3,405 2,387 1,871 2,982 3,254 4,623 18,445 1,312 Totals, 1891 76,077 13,157 7,504 5,170 1,640 489 261 169 104,467 Totals, 1890 71,116 12,160 6,839 4,750 1,502 4G1 21S 162 97,208