'F.—l

Return for same Period of Payments and Amounts in each Postal District.

Inspection. 1,410 offices were visited and inspected, the distance travelled being 24,517 miles. New Postage-stamps, etc. Postage-stamps at -Jd. and Id. printed on thin paper watermarked " N.Z." with star were printed during the year. It is hoped soon to use watermarked paper for the other values. The introduction of new perforating-machinery has resulted in better work being turned out than formerly. All cause of complaint in respect of the adhesive properties of the gum used has now been removed. Following on the annexation of Penrhyn Island ar.d Niue to New Zealand, a limited supply of current New Zealand postage-stamps at Id. was overprinted " Niue " by means of a rubber stamp in November last, and sent to the Niue Post Office for sale to the public. Since then New Zealand postage-stamps at |-<L, Id., and 2-|d. have been overprinted at the Government Printing Office for Penrhyn Island and Niue and forwarded to those offices. The overprint consists of the name of the island and the value of the stamp —"J Peni," " Tai Peni," and " 2| Peni" respectively for Penrhyn Island, and " -J- Peni," "Taha Peni," and "2J Peni" for Niue. No change has yet been made in the Gook Islands stamps, but this is to be considered in connection with a proposal to create stamps of special design for Penrhyn Island and Niue. Penny pictorial post-cards bearing views of the principal cities of the colony and its scenery were issued in September last. Competitive designs have been invited for new post and letter cards to bear the King's effigy in place of that of the late Queen Victoria. Pacific Cable. Since last year's report a practical advance has been made with this important undertaking, the sections Queensland-Norfolk Island, Norfolk Island-New Zealand, Norfolk Island-J?iji having been laid by the cable steamer " Anglia," which sailed from London on the Bth January last. Mr. Charles Henry Reynolds, G.1.E., formerly Director of Telegraphs, India, who was appointed General Manager to the Pacific Cable Board in August, 1901, visited the colony in March, and fully discussed with the Postmaster-General matters connected with the Pacific cable. His visit was of material advantage to the Governments and the Board. The shore end of the Queensland-Norfolk Island cable was laid at Southport on the 13th March, and the " Anglia " landed the Norfolk Island end on the 20th of that month, leaving the same day for New Zealand. About thirty miles from Doubtless Bay the cable had to be cut and buoyed owing to rough weather, but the shore end was successfully landed on the 24th March, the important event being celebrated with some ceremony in the presence of the Postmaster-General, the General Manager to the Pacific Cable Board, members of the Advisory Board, officials of the Cable Construction Company, and of the New Zealand Post and Telegraph Department, one of the members of the House of Representatives for Auckland, and members of the Press. The steamer then proceeded to the buoyed end, and the final splice was made at 3.15 p.m. on the 26th March, when telegrams were forwarded by the Postmaster-General to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, the Imperial Postmaster-General, the Governor-General, the Premier, and the Postin asters-General of Canada and the Australian Commonwealth, the Chairman of the Pacific Cable Board, the Agent-General, and others.

VI

Postal District. ] Number of Payments. 1000-1. 1901-2. Amount. Number of Payments. Amount. Auckland... Blenheim... Christchurcli Dunedin ... Gisborne ... .:. Greymouth Hokitika ... Invercargill Napier Nelson New Plymouth Oamaru ... Thames ... Timaru Wanganui Wellington Westport... 31,799 1,813 19,575 20,755 1,579 5,792 5,710 7,803 5,286 4,257 2,926 2,707 5,942 3,989 3,756 11,058 3,397 31,799 1,813 19,575 20,755 1,579 5,792 5,710 7,803 5,286 4,257 2,926 2,707 5,942 3,989 3,756 11,058 3,397 £ s. d. 45,058 1 0 2,528 12 1 27,742 4 8 29,730 6 10 2,330 1 0 8,596 4 7 8,451 10 5 11,317 4 5 7,193 16 6 5,873 3 4 4,168 5 10 3,941 4 8 8,664 9 8 5,705 1 6 5,394 17 1 16,036 12 8 4,995 14 4 32,091 1,863 20,828 22,283 1,236 6,409 6,128 8,848 5,640 4,238 3,051 2,876 5,911 4,614 4,261 12,446 3,704 £ ■ s. d. 44,821 3 2 2,635 19 5 29,064 10 3 31,486 17 10 1,756 6 6 9,458 11 6 8,992 7 2 12,620 4 7 7,775 10 3 5,755 10 8 4,294 8 4 4,147 7 4 8,550 14 2 6,569 13 6 6,081 11 11' 17,823 6 10 5,413 17 11 Totals 138,144 138,144 £197,727 10 7 146,427 £207,248 1 4