F.—l

X

Seven receiving-boxes were closed: Christchurch—City, 1. New Plymouth—Town, 1. Thames—Kuranui, 1. Wanganui—Town, 1 ; Marohima, 1; Waitotara, 1. Wellington—Tinakori Eoad, 1. Designations of Offices. The designations of offices were changed as follow : Christchurch—Hanmer Plain to Hanmer Springs ; Dunedin—Mokamoka to Pounawea ; Invercargill—Waikawa Township to Waikawa; Napier—Mount Wolff to Waione ; Nelson—Wakapuaka to Wakapuaka Suburban ; New Plymouth—Ohonga to Onaero ; Timaru—Three Springs to Kimbell, Waihao to Morven ; Wellington— Fowler's to Kimbolton, Mauriceville to Mauriceville West, Mauriceville Eailway to Mauriceville; Westport—Granity Creek to Granity. Names were corrected as follows : Invercargill—Pyramids to Pyramid ; Timaru—St. Andrew ot St. Andrew's; Wellington—Manukau to Manakau. Post-offices established, etc. Sixty-seven post-offices were established (of these, five were reopened offices) and eight closed. Opened. Atea, Wellington Mount Wolff, Napier St. Omer (reopened), Blenheim Big River, Greymouth Newton Plat, Westport Seddon, Blenheim Braco (R. 0.), Christchurch Ngapaeruru, Napier Sentry Hill, New Plymouth Croydon Bush., Invercargill Ngawaro, Thames Slope Point, Invercargill Pairton, Christchurch Ohinemutu, Auckland Table Plat, Wellington Glencoe, Invercargill Ohonga, New Plymouth Tara, Auckland Halfway Bush (reopened), Dunedin Omahu, Thames Te Kuta, Napier Heawa, Auckland Onapua, Blenheim Ten-mile Creek, Greymouth Horoeka, Napier Orangimea, Wanganui Tererenga, Auckland Huarau, Auckland Peebles, Oamaru Tikitiki, Gisborne Hundalee, Christchurch Pitt Island, Wellington Tinakori Road (R. 0.), Wellington Island Bay, Wellington Pukehou, Wanganui Top Valley, Blenheim Kahuika, Dunediu Pukeokahu, Napier Umutaoroa, Napier Kaimata, New Plymouth Pyramids, Invercargill Upper Blackwater, Greymouth Kaupokonui, Wanganui Ranfurly, Dunedin Waiharara, Auckland Kent Road, New Plymouth Ratapiko, New Plymouth Waikaremoana (reopened), Napier Kokako, Napier Raupo, Auckland Waimahaka, Invercargill Mangapeehi, Auckland Rawhitiroa, Wanganui Waimana, Thames Manuhara, Wellington Reidston, Oamaru Whangamarino, Auckland Matahiwi, Napier Resolution Bay, Blenheim Whangapara (reopened), Auckland Matauri Bay, Auckland Riverlea, Wanganui Wbangaripo.Auckland Miro, New Plymouth Ruakaka (reopened), Auckland Woodleigb, Auckland. Mokamoka, Dunedin Closed. Kimihia, Auckland Mokihinui, Westport Waitoto River, Hokitika Kirikiri, Thames Ohui, Auckland White's Point, Westport. Lake Ooleridge, Christchurch Parawai, Thames The number of post-offices open at the end of the year was 1,620.

Parcel-post. The following table shows the total number and the weight of inland, intercolonial, United Kingdom, and foreign parcels dealt with during the years 1890, 1897, 1898, and 1899:—

Postal Districts. 18S Number. 1890. 190. Weight. Number. 1897. Weight. Number. 1898. Weight. Number. 1899. Weight. Auckland Thames New Plymouth Gisborne.. Napier .. Wanganui Wellington Nelson .. Westport Greymouth Hokitika Blenheim Christchurch Timaru .. Oamaru .. Dunedin Invercargill 24,539 1,731 1,132 1,061 7,021 4,537 29,052 5,348 1,201 2,821 1,600 2,090 21,758 2,263 978 25,312 3,883 lb. oz. 65,406 15 4,334 3 3,103 9 2,977 10 19,512 13 10,994 2 85,226 3 15,329 8 2,718 4 7,102 4 4,476 11 5,050 0 67,202 8 5,600 1 2,409 8 74,824 15 8,614 6 42,287 3,366 2,753 1,979 8,932 6,852 45,195 5,534 1,941 2,773 1,621 1,851 32,298 1,808 1,056 32,504 4,804 lb. oz. 134,523 4 9,945 8 8,001 1 5,862 12 26,526 12 21,508 12 166,995 8 18,168 3 4,977 3 7,777 10 5,583 6 5,441 5 125,764 3 4,554 12 3,436 13 112,672 12 14,314 9 43,147 3,181 2,801 1,975 9,048 7,642 46,208 5,668 1,964 2,950 2,398 1,811 33,072 1,964 1,166 34,641 4,967 lb. oz. 140,528 7 9,179 7 8,554 13 5,619 15 27,216 14 23,997 5 173,884 9 18,254 2 5,038 11 8,384 15 7,606 2 5,736 4 124,895 3 5,147 11 3,796 2 117,065 15 13,394 12 46,633 3,324 3,212 2,283 9,281 8,663 51,150 6,124 2,089 3,099 2,865 1,907 33,707 1,960 1,120 39,976 5,957 lb. oz. 153,492 14 9,963 12 10,238 5 6,008 12 28,500 15 27,627 13 185,938 12 18,845 5 5,157 2 8,876 3 9,645 11 6,180 15 135,437 9 5,815 2 3,843 12 134,014 7 16,249 4J Totals |136,327 384,883 8 |197,554 676,014 5 204,603 698,301 3 223,350 765,836 9 ;