F.—l

X

Newspapers— Posted in'the colony .. .. .. 12,347,374 11,447,657 Received from places outside the csolony .. 4,698,341 4,269,731 17,045,715 15,717,388 1,328,327 Parcels— Posted in the colony .. .. .. 199,220 193,143 Received from places outside the colony .. 34,236 30,207 233,456 223,350 10,106 The letters increased 343 ; letter-cards, 12-00 ; post-cards, 16-16 ; books and pattern-packets, 0-31 ; newspapers, 845; and parcels, 4-52 per-cent. The increase in 1899 was: Letters, 7-61; letter-cards, 20-28; post-cards, 11-02; books and pattern-packets, 6-27 ; newspapers, 4-12 ; and parcels, 916 per cent. The average number of letters posted per head of population was estimated to be 47"39, or 4901 including letter-cards. The averages in 1899 were 46-31 and 4777 respectively. The Post Office receipts for the year amounted to £316,857 17s. 7d. —a decrease of £8,443 4s. 4d., or 26 per cent., the result of the penny post for the three months ended 31st March last. The expenditure was £223,256 15s. 6d., as against £207,205 3s. 3d.—an increase of £16,051 12s. 3d., or 775 per cent. There was a balance of revenue over expenditure of £93,601 2s. Id. The estimated value of official (free) correspondence was £82,238. The gross earnings of the Post Office for the year were therefore £399,096, and the credit balance £175,839. WOBK PEBFOBMED FOX OTHBB DEPARTMENTS. Customs duties amounting to £19,236 Bs. 4d. were collected on articles received through the post from places beyond the colony, and £1,453 12s. 9d. on account of ordinary Customs work. The sum of £2,006 12s. was collected from the sale of game licenses. Premiums amounting to £28,528 18s. lid. were collected from policyholders on behalf of the Government Life Insurance Department. £585 7s. 6d. was collected for the Government Printer on the sale of Government publications. Income-tax amounting to £84,303 18s. Bd., and land-tax for £225,963 12s. 4d. were received at post-offices. Fees under the Live-stock Acts amounting to £20,522 12s. 3d. were collected. The sum of £4,322 2s. 6d. was received for machinery-fees. The receipts from the sale of miners' licenses amounted to £1,254 14s. £14,169 os. 2d. was lodged at post-offices for investment in New Zealand Consols. The receipts on behalf of the Public Trust Office were £334,917 2s. 7d., and payments £336,697 12s. 3d. Railway receipts for £10,233 17s. sd. were also accounted for through the Post Office Account. The fees collected in respect of the registration of births, deaths, and marriages totalled £2,326 11s. The Advances to Settlers Office receipts amounted to £635,786 12s. 2d., and payments ■£638,125 4s. Bd. Fees, &c, were also collected on account of the Audit Office, Hospitals and Charitable Aid, water-rates, Goldfields, County Councils, Clerks of Court, Road Boards, Harbourmasters, Arms Act, fishing licenses, Police Department, Lunacy Department, Factories Act, Education Department, Btamp Department, Homing-pigeons Protection Act, Registration of Brands, Hanmer Springs Sanatorium, Rotorua Baths, Rotorua patients, Electoral Act, the Treasury, Licensing Act, and valuation revenue. The payments made by the Post Office on behalf of the Treasury were £535,887 15s. sd. Gboss Receipts and Payments. The gross receipts dealt with during the year were —Departmental, £9,321,952 12s. 5d.; on account of other departments, £2,114,044 18s. 2d. : total, £11,435,997 10s. 7d. The payments were —Departmental, £9,311,943 Is. 4-J-d.; on behalf of other departments—to individuals, £1,701,968 13s. 2d.; to Government accounts, £373,592 10s. 9d.; a total of £11,387,504 ss. 3id. The gross receipts and payments were therefore £22,823,501 15s. 10-J-d. for the year. Lettbe-cabbibes' Delivbbies. Deliveries by letter-carriers were established at: New Plymouth—lnglewood; Wellington— Featherston ; Westport—Burnett's Face. Letter-carriers' deliveries were extended at : Auckland (C.P.O.j—from Mount Albert (by Stewart's Road and Swan's Road) to the junction of Hillsbro' Road, thence to Onehunga Road. Christchurch (suburbs) —the East Linwood delivery to include Mile Road and the east side of the Canal Reserve. Gisborne (C.P.O.) —to suburb of Whataupoko, so as to include Whitaker Street, thrice weekly (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). Invercargill—Mataura, along Wyndham Road South. Nelson (C.P.O.)—to the end of Hampden Street West. New Plymouth (C.P.O.)—from Cutfield Road (late boundary) to the Breakwater, taking in all houses each side of the road. Wanganui—Eltham, a quarter-mile northwards, to corner of Mountain and Racecourse Roads ; Ma-rton, about a half-mile, once daily in the afternoon, along High Street to the north-western borough boundary. Wellington—Masterton, to include suburb of Lansdowne. Newspapebs begisteebd. Nine newspapers were registered for transmission by post, and nineteen ceased publication.