F.—l

XV

455,746 letters, 472,117 books, and 1,005,784 newspapers were received from, and 500,328 letters, 90,516 books, and newspapers despatched to, the United Kingdom vid San Francisco. The letters received from the United Kingdom by this route show a decrease of 4-10 per cent., the books an increase of 2-31 per cent., and the newspapers a decrease of 0-13 per cent., and the letters despatched to that country show a decrease of 4-35 per cent., the books 3-22 per cent., and the newspapers 3-22 per cent., against the numbers forwarded in 1893. This is due to the London Post Office having made larger use of the Eastern services outward, and New Zealand of the direct steamers homeward. P and O. and Orient Lines (Fedeml Mail-services). Dr. £ s. d. £ s. d. Payments to P and O. and Orient Lines 2,780 13 5 Transit charges across Australia .. 117 0 3 Transit charges across European Continent 507 13 10 Gratuities (to and from Australia) .. .. 1,477 11 9 4,882 19 3 Cr. Postages collected in the colony ... 2,356 7 7 Postages from London and foreign offices 882 2 4 —— 3,238 9 11 Net loss to the colony .. £1,644 9 4 The numbers of letters, books, and newspapers conveyed from and to the United Kingdom by the P and O. and Orient packets were Received—4ls,4lB letters, 244,573 books, and 985,284 newspapers , despatched—ll2,794 letters, 17,480 books, and 90,599 newspapers.

Return showing the several Subsidised Mail Sea Services, the Subsidy Payments for the Year 1894, the Dates when established, and the Date on which each terminates.

The " Wairarapa," which left Sydney on the 24th October last, was wrecked at Great Barrier Island, Auckland, on the night of the 29th, with great loss of life. Her mails comprised 117 bags and two hampers, and contained 11,278 letters, 1,332 packets, 34 parcels, 14,073 newspapers, and 155 registered letters. Of these, 109 bags and the two hampers were recovered. It was possible to deliver the whole of the recovered letters and comparatively few of the newspapers and other printed articles had to be sent to the Dead Letter Office for disposal. The eight bags of mails not recovered included one of letters from Melbourne for Auckland, a Queensland mail for Gisborne, a mail from Perth to Auckland, and five bags of newspapers from Melbourne and Sydney for Auckland. They contained 1,755 letters, 324 packets, 1,414 newspapers, and 20 registered letters.

Duration of Service. Service. Subsidy or Payment. When When terminated established. termi ° n r able . Number of Voyages Annum. Mileage for Complete Voyage. Coat per Mile. Auckland and San Francisco Auckland and Fiji Auckland and South Pacific Islands Auckland and Great Barrier Helensville and Matakohe Helensville and Dargaville Rawene and Omapere Rawene and Horeke Omapere andJWaitapu Russell and Opua Wellington, Ketu Bay, Maud Island, Maori Bay, Homewood, and Havelock Nelson, Motueka, Totaranui, Takaka, aud Collingwood Hokitika, Bruce Bay, Paringa, Haasfc River, Okuru, Okarito, and Jackson's Bay Westport and Karamea Lyttelton and Chatham Islands Bluff and Half-moon Bay Bluff, Puysegur Point, an'd Cromarty Paterson's Inlet and Half-moon Bay Half-moon Bay and Port Pegasus Interprovincial Service in connection with San Francisco Line £ s. a. 7 500 16 7 1 690 0 0 1,200 0 0 250 0 0 Nov., 1885 June, 1880 June, 1885 Oct., 1891 Nov., 1897 * 13 13 12 52 f 52 I 104 f 52 52 ( 52 156 11,916 2,334 6,992 56 118 1 170 } 34 12 30 ) 8 s. a. 0 11-62 1 1-37 0 3-43 1 8-60 * Dee., 1896 J 480 0 0 i 300 0 0 Jan., 1881 Jan., 1889 Dec, 1896 Dec, 1896 0 4-84 1 6-22 90 0 0 Jan., 1889 Dec, 1896 1 5-31 150 0 0 Dec, 1891 Nov., 1896 26 183 0 7-57 125 0 0 Dec, 1896 52 130 0 4-44 400 0 0 120 0 0 200 0 0 200 0 0 Jan., 1886 June, 1886 Dec, 1896 Dec, 1896 March, 1896 Dec, 1896 4 12 4 52 280 102 1,050 40 7 1-71 1 11-53 0 11-43 1 11-08 July, 1886 270 0 0 29 0 0 5 0 0 April, 1893 April, 1892 June, 1894 March, 1896 Dec, 1896 12 52 10 80 12 90 5 7-50 0 11-15 0 1-33 3,000 0 0 Nov., 1886 Nov., 1897 13 * On three months' notice.