P.—l.

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

POST OFFICE. Abtici.es posted and deliveked. The number of articles posted in the colony and received from places outside the colony during the year 1902, as compared with the number in 1901, was as under : — Letters — . 1902. 1901. Increase. Posted in the colony .. .. .. 53,278,875 48,370,816 Received from places outside the colony .. 3,410,381 3,173,449 56,689,256 51,544,265 5,144,991 Letter-cards— Posted in the colony .. .. .. 1,025,375 1,023,295 2,080 Post-cards— Posted in the colony .. .. .. 1,239,004 1,460,589 Decrease. Received from places outside the colony .. 63,163 61,788 1,302,167 1,522,377 220,210 Books and pattern-packets— Posted in the colony .. .. .. 16,870,951 16,176,195 Increase. Received from places outside the colony .. 1,755,373 1,624,871 18,626,324 17,801,066 825,258 Newspapers— Posted in the colony .. .. .. 13,392,847 13,858,234 Decrease. Received from places outside the colony .. 5,124,429 5,115,398 18,517,276 18,973,632 456,356 X)a ltnal o Posted in the colony .. 244,016 233,491 Increase. Received from places outside the colony .. 47,654 39,951 291,670 273,442 18,228 The letters increased 9-98, letter-cards increased 0-2, post-cards decreased 14-46, books and pattern-packets increased 4-64, newspapers decreased 2-41, and parcels increased 6-67 per cent. In 1901 letters increased 33-32, letter-cards decreased 17-22, post-cards decreased 2023, books and pattern-packets increased 0-48, newspapers increased 11-31, and parcels increased 1713 per cent. The average number of letters posted per head of population was estimated to be 66-78, or 68-07 including letter-cards. The averages in 1901 were 62-18, or 63-49 including letter-cards. The Post Office receipts for the year amounted to £302,604 os. 9*d. —an increase of £21,507 3s. 6d., or 765 per cent. The expenditure was £259,447 9s. 5d., as against £253,340 18s. sd.—an increase of £6,106 lis., or 2-41 per cent, There was a balance of revenue over expenditure of £43,156 lis. 4d. The estimated value of official (free) correspondence was £71,946. The gross earnings of the Post Office for the year were therefore £374,550, and the credit balance £115,103.

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Postal District. 1901-2. Number of Payments. Amount. Number of Payments. 1902-3. Amount. Auckland... Blenheim... Christchurch Dunedin ... Gisborne ... Greymouth Hokitika ... Invercargill Napier Nelson New Plymouth Oamaru ... Thames ... Timaru ... Wanganui Wellington Westport... 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 31,903 2,007 21,182 22,706 1,380 6,524 6,278 9,429 5,710 4,233 2,950 2,960 5,885 4,611 4,628 12,796 3,494 £ s. d. 44,623 11 5 2,811 7 6 29,671 9 10 32,008 18 4 1,966 6 3 9,612 6 0 9,227 6 8 13,343 9 2 7,861 15 10 5,684 11 6 4,097 4 6 4,275 2 2 8,511 12 9 6,479 19 10 6,634 1 0 18,246 1 11 5,088 19 2 Totals 146,427 £207,248 1 4 148,676 £210,144 : 3 10