F.—l

VII

The letters increased 6-30, post-cards 12-82, books and sample-packets 85-24, and newspapers 0-30 per cent. The increase in 1891 was—Letters 8-42, post-cards 13-35, books and sample-packets 16-42, and newspapers 3-29 per cent. The average number of letters posted per head of population was estimated to be 3975; in 1891 the average was 37-70. The revenue for the financial year ended the 31st March last was £214,002 45., compared with £209,894 7s. 4d. for 1891-92, an.increase of £4,107 16s. Bd., or 1-96 per cent. The expenditure was £161,341 4s. lid., as against £153,698 ss. 4d. for the previous year, an increase of £7,642 19s. 7d., or 4-97 per cent. The expenditure for the year was therefore £52,660 19s. Id. less than the receipts. The estimated value of the official free correspondence was £62,996 Is. lid., compared with £63,579 16s. 4d. for the former year. The estimated total value of the business was £276,998 ss. lid., which, after deducting the expenditure, left a balance of £115,657 Is. in favour of the Post Office. Fees amounting to £1,680 17s. 6d. for registration of births, deaths, and marriages were received. For the inspection of machinery the fees collected amounted to £3,247 15s. 3d. Under the Live-stock Acts the sum of £10,147 6s. 6d. was collected. The number of payments on account of the property-tax was 3,548, for £91,945 4s. 3d. 9,884 land-tax payments, for £233,939 12s. 4d., were also collected. Gratuities for the conveyance of mails by unsubsidised vessels amounted to £8,547 18s. 7d. £4,703 10s. was received as fees for private boxes and bags. Letter-carriers' deliveries were established at Feilding, Marton, and Whangarei. The delivery at Kaitangata was discontinued. Letter-carriers' deliveries were extended at Gisborne, to include North Gisborne ; Napier, to include the whole town twice daily; Wellington, to include Mitchelltown, Taitville, Wadestown, and Kaiwarawara; Christchurch, to include Windsor and part of St. Albans. The delivery at Hastings was reduced from thrice to twice daily. Fourteen receiving-boxes were established—at Auckland, 2; New Plymouth, 1; Momohaki, Wanganui, 1; Wellington, 1; Wadestown, 1; Otaki, 1; Christchurch, 1; Sydenclam, 1; Temuka, 1; Oamaru, 1 (for telegrams only); Dunedin, 3. Two were closed at Auckland, and one at Pikirangi, on the road from Eotorua to Eotoiti. There were 309 pillar, wall, and lamp-post receivers open at the end of the year. 8,959,759 letters, 388,799 post-cards, 1,365,323 books, circulars, &c, and 2,377,265 newspapers were delivered by letter-carriers. Thirty-nine post-offices were first established, five reopened, and twelve closed during the year, as under : — Opened. Akuaku (reopened), Gisborne. Makakahi, Wellington. Pukiore, Wanganui. Aramoho, Wanganui. Makuri, Wellington. Purangi, New Plymouth. Atarau, Greymouth. Mangamako, Wanganui. Puysegur Point, Invercargill. Awahou (reopened), Auckland. Mareretu, Auckland. Roslyn Busli (reopened), InverBroadwood, Auckland. Merrivale, Invercargill. cargill. Dieffenbach, Blenheim. Momohaki, Wanganui. Ru Point, Auckland. Granity Creek, Westport. Motukaraka, Auckland. Sandon Block, Wanganui. Grovetown (reopened), Blenheim. Newborough, Oamaru. Scarrott's, Auckland. Harewood Road, Christchurch. Nuhaka, Napier. Te Horo, Wellington. Hautere Cross, Wellington. Ohingaite, Wanganui. Te Kaha, Thames. Havelock (Suburban) Blenheim. Omaio, Thames. Te Mata (reopened), Auckland. Hilderthorpe, Oamaru. Omanaia, Auckland. Toko, New Plymouth. Kaimanuka, Wanganui. Onewhero, Auckland. Tarukenga, Auckland. Ketu Bay, Blenheim. Oreti Plains, Invercargill. Waikawa Township, Invercargill. Makairo, Wellington. Puketutu, Auckland. Wharekuri, Oamaru. Closed. Awahou, Auckland. Maryville, New Plymouth. Tawhai, Greymouth. Coal Island, Invercargill. Mataahu, Gisborne. Wadestown, Wellington. Grovetown, Blenheim. Porewa, Wanganui. Waihemo, Dunedin. Maitahi, Auckland. Roslyn Bush, Invercargill. Waipuna, Auckland. The total number of post-offices open at the close of the year was 1,263. The designations of offices were changed as follows: Fairlie Creek to Fairlie, Shag Point Junction to Shag Point, The Eeefs to Bullendale, Lake Brunner to Jackson's. Six Government Insurance agencies were opened at post-offices during the year. Eleven newspapers were registered for transmission by post, and two newspapers ceased to be published during the year. The total number of newspapers on the General Post Office register at the close of the year was 243. The debit and credit transactions of the Post Office for the year ended 31st December, 1892, exclusive of receipts and payments for other departments, were —Eeceipts, £4,155,207 2s. 4d.; payments, £4,194,374 15s. 5d.: a total of £8,349,581 17s. 9d. For other departments the transactions were —Eeceipts, £811,517 9s. 9d.; payments, £354,920 lis. Bd. to individual claimants, and £447,494 4s. lOd. to Government accounts —a total of £802,414 16s. 6d.: making in all £1,613,932 6s. 3d. received and paid for other departments. The gross receipts and payments through the Post Office for the year were therefore £9,963,514 4s. For 1891 they amounted to £7,816,864 19s. 7d. The order for engraving a new series of postage-stamps for the Post Office, Tonga, has been executed, and the stamps are in use. The denominations are Id., 2d., 4d., Bd., and Is. The penny and fourpenny stamps have the Government coat-of-arms in centre, and are printed in rose and Indian-red respectively. The likeness of King George of Tonga appears on the twopenny, eightpenny, and shilling stamps. The respective colours are silver-grey, mauve, and green. The Post Office, Earotonga (Cook Island Federation), has also issued a new set of postagestamps of the values of Id., lid., 2Jd., 5d., and 10d., to replace the original stamps, printed from ordinary printing-type. The likeness of Queen Makea appears on each stamp. The colours are brown, mauve, crimson-lake, silver-grey, and green.