I

1901. NEW ZEALAND.

POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT (REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR 1900.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

My Lord,— General Post Office, Wellington, 26th August, 1901. I have the honour to submit to your Excellency the Eeport of the Post and Telegraph Department for the year 1900, with the usual statement of revenue and expenditure to the 31st March last. I have the honour to be Your Lordship's most obedient servant, J. G. Ward, Postmaster-General and Electric Telegraph Commissioner. His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand.

EEPOET. The year will be a memorable one in the department on account of the introduction by New Zealand of the universal penny-post — the first universal penny-post to be introduced by any country in the world. The continuance of the expansion of the telegraph business, which has increased in volume of paid telegrams in four years by no less than 54-68 per cent., is remarkable. In that period the value of paid telegrams has risen by 29-68 per cent. —a sure indication of the success of the sixpenny telegram. The balance of expenditure over revenue on the telegraph side, which two years ago was nearly £30,000, has fallen to £8,036 for 1900—a most gratifying result. The postal work continues to show a steady and satisfactory increase. The following table shows the revenue and expenditure for the year ended 31st March, 1901 :—

i—F. 1.

Item. Postal. Telegraph. Total. Receipts . Stamps used for postage (estimated) Money-order and postal-note commission Money-order commission received from foreign offices .. Private box and bag fees Miscellaneous receipts Paid telegrams Telephone-exchanges £ s. d. 265,833 0 0 20,335 19 2 654 19 3 6,217 13 4 23,816 5 10 £ s. d. £ s. d. 265,833 0 0 20,335 19 2 654 19 3 6,217 13 4 35,295 12 6^ 126,381 14 6" 49,117 0 8 11,479 6 8 J 126,381 14 6 49,117 0 8 Balance of expenditure over revenue (Telegraph) 316,857 17 7 186,978 1 10£ 8,036 19 6J 503,835 19 5 ; Totals £310,857 17 7 £195,015 1 5 £503,835 19 5% Expenditure. Salaries Conveyance of mails by sea Conveyance of inland mails .. Conveyance of mails by railway Money-order commission credited to foreign offices Maintenance of telegraph-lines Miscellaneous Telegraph-cable subsidies 97,652 1 11 45,438 5 3 41,897 15 5 14,357 2 1 1,908 1 7 144,867 11 6 19,487 11 10 29,659 9 7 1,000 8 6 242,519 13 5 45,438 5 3 41,897 15 5 14,357 2 1 1,908 1 7 19,487 11 10 51,662 18 10 1,000 8 6 22,003 9 3 Balance of revenue over expenditure (Postal) .. „ „ (combined department) 223,256 15 6 93,601 2 1 195,015 1 5 418,271 16. 11* 85,564' 2 6J Totals £316,857 17 7 £195,015 1 5 £503,835 19 5,