F.—i

XII

Dead Letters. The following comparative table shows the number of unclaimed letters, letter-cards, and post-cards dealt with during the under-mentioned years:—

The proportion of dead or unclaimed letters, letter-cards, and post-cards to the total number dealt with in the colony was 0-28, as against o'3l per cent, in 1898. 22,048 book-packets and circulars were returned to foreign countries. 50,559 were returned to senders through the Dead-letter Office, 50 were reissued, 40,686 were returned by Chief Postmasters : a total of 113,343 book-packets and circulars, as compared with 130,320 in 1898. 402 letters were wrongly addressed; 42 letters were discovered to have been posted with previously used stamps; 1,879 unclaimed registered letters were dealt with. 2,325 newspapers and 1,555 books and other articles without addresses were received, many of which were subsequently applied for and delivered. 770 newspapers were returned to the publishers. 432 letters and 98 letter-cards were posted without addresses. 11 letters with libellous addresses were intercepted. The under-mentioned articles of value were found in letters opened in the Dead-letter Office, and returned to the senders where practicable : — £ s. d. 279 post-office orders ... 474 18 7 32 bank drafts ... ... ... ... ... ...2,98115 0 215 cheques ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,395 9 9 2 dividend warrants ... ... ... ... ... 9 13 0 16 promissory notes ... ... ... ... ... 354 610 Postal notes ... ... ... ... ... ... 89 7 9 Stamps ... ... ... .... ... ... ... 23 10 .8 Bank-notes ... ... ... ... ... ... 156 0 0 Gold ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 42 10 0 Silver and copper ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 2 11 Eepresenting a total of ... ... £5,532 14 6 In addition, 1 gold watch, 2 silver watches, 2 ladies' silver watches, 1 gold watch and chain, 1 silver watch and chain, 3 nickel-plated Swiss watches, 2 nickel watches, 2 gold chains, 1 ladies' ring, 7 gold rings, 1 silver ring, 1 gold pendant, 1 greenstone pendant, 1 gold brooch, 2 silver brooches, 1 gold-mounted greenstone brooch, 1 silver-mounted greenstone pendant, 2 gold-mounted sharks' teeth, 1 set of gold studs and one pair of sleeve-links, 1 pair gold sleeve-links, 1 silver lid, 1 silver chatelaine, 1 silver medal, 2 pairs gold-rimmed spectacles, 1 pair ordinary spectacles, 6 sheets postage-stamps, 3 sheets foreign stamps, 2 pencil-cases, 1 Japanese coin, collection of gold coins, 1 purse, 1 cigar-holder, 1 silver-mounted butter-knife with greenstone handle, 6 pawn-tickets, 1 railway-excursion ticket, 1 Tattersalls' ticket Melbourne Cup, 1 U.S.S. Company's saloon ticket Wellington to Greymouth, 1 passage ticket Toronto to Wellington, 1 U.S.S. Company's ticket Onehunga to Wanganui, 2 New Zealand Shipping Company's steerage tickets Monte Video to London, 1 U.S.S. Company's passage order Sydney to Auckland, 3 saloon tickets Lyttelton to Wellington, 5 share certificates, 4 cheque-books, 8 cents, 1 Canadian dollar, 3 woollen shawls, 4 antimacassar covers, 3 pairs of trousers, 9 silk handkerchiefs, 4 pieces of music, 2 dresses, 1 football-cap.. 2 razors, 1 sealskin cap, 11 pairs of woollen socks, 1 bicycle-pump, 21 silk neckties, 1 pair of ladies' gloves, 1 box of shoe-laces, 1 bread knife, 1 carved pipe. The number of inland, intercolonial, and international unclaimed articles received and disposed of during the years 1898 and 1899 was as under : —

Manner of Disposal. 1884. 1885. 1886. 1887. 1888. 1889. 1890. 1894. 1896. j 1897. 1898. 1899. Opened and returned to the writers Returned unopened to other countries Reissued Destroyed Returned unopened by Chief Postmasters 68,942 66,592 66,729 62,847 55,118 62,654 60,540 61,745 6,220 7,779 8,941 63,112 66,886: 68,872 74,132 . 9,134 8,115 8,359 7,287 6,892 7,546 7,648i 8,899 9,706 107 3,986 17,593 185 2,872 19,187 251 6,600 21,144 96 5,974 20,185 88 5,246 19,963 92 141 j 130 4,340 2,660 4,725 21,164| 21,931 22,042 148 4,069 26,414 132] 219 3,245; 3,368 34,260! 33,273 178 4,536 22,915 Totals 103,083 96,3891 87,307 94,470 l 93,051 97,583 101,289 112,171! 114,631 111,467 99,762 96,951 i