F.—l

XII

Official Correspondence. The estimated volume and value of official and other free correspondence posted during 1904 is given in the statement below: —

The estimated value of official correspondence was £83,075 Is.

Dead Letters. The following comparative table shows the number of unclaimed letters, letter-cards, and post-cards dealt with in the Dead-letter Office and by Chief Postmasters during the undermentioned years:—

The proportion of dead or unclaimed letters, letter-cards, and post-cards to the total number dealt with in the colony was 035 per cent., as against 0-36 per cent, in 1903. 37,715 book-packets and circulars were returned to foreign countries; 19,131 were returned to senders through the Dead-letter Office; 88,830 were returned by Chief Postmasters : a total of 145,676 book-packets and circulars, as compared with 139,742 in 1903. 1,538 letters were wrongly addressed; 25 letters were discovered to have been posted with previously used stamps ; 2,939 unclaimed registered letters were dealt with. 2,479 newspapers and 1,738 books and other articles without addresses were received, many of which were subsequently applied for and delivered. 1,800 newspapers were returned to the publishers. 681 letters and 200 letter-cards were posted without addresses. 25 letters with libellous addresses were intercepted. The undermentioned articles of value were found in letters opened in the Dead-letter Office, and returned to senders where practicable :— £ s. d. 476 post-office orders ... ... ... ... ... 1,154 15 9 45 bank drafts ... ... ... ... ... ...4,43114 11 376 cheques ... ... ... ... ... ... 2,769 6 1 19 dividend warrants ... ... ... ... ... 28 10 4 10 promissory notes ... ... ... ... ... 365 16 7 Credit notes ' ... ... ... ... ... ... 300 0 0 Postal notes ... ... ... ... ... ... 211 8 2 Stamps ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 28 7 5| Bank-notes ... ... ... ... ... ... 327 0 0 Gold ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 38 0 0 Silver and copper*... ... ... ... ... ... 14 4 0J Representing a total of ... ... £9,669 3 3f

* Including a United States silver dollar bill.

District. Letters. Packets. Registered Articles. Newspapers. Auckland Thames New Plymouth .. Gisborne Napier Wanganui Wellington Blenheim Nelson Westport Greymouth Hokitika Christchurch Timaru 918,853 88,777 147,849 47,749 241,956 253,747 1,424,254 53,872 139,958 39,026 55,809 44,824 586,157 104,247 50,037 467,987 346,619 10,817 2,764 15,300 2,296 14,100 4,670 565,699 1,906 7,164 1,016 3,270 3,875 25,480 3,335 1,200 58,567 20,117 26,772 1,730 3,684 992 1,817 7,800 37,156 1,020 6,038 1,971 2,913 4,109 22,204 968 884 17,746 5,314 70,561 36,866 62,835 19,459 60,036 110,729 497,694 25,000 52,608 33,722 23,158 32,200 124,956 24,752 32,199 232,228 81,370 Oamaru Dunedin Invercargill Totals 5,011,721 741,576 143,118 1,520,373

Manner of Disposal. 1884. 1885. 1887. 1890. 1895. 1896. 1898. 1899. 1900. 1901. 1902. 1903. 1904. Ipened and returned to the writers Returned unopened to other countries toissuod )estroyed teturned unopened by Chief Postmasters 68,942 9,134 107 3,986 17,593 66,592 8,115 185 2,872 19,187 62,847 7,287 96 5,974 20,185 60,54061,065 7,77912,929 141 199 2,660 3,617 21,93125,980 63,112 7,546 148 4,069 26,414 68,872 8,899 219 3,368 33,273 74,132 76,692100,036107,476 9,706 9,707 12,251 14,401 178 265 "5,112 fl3,373 4,536 4,9001 5,705, 6,249 22,915 40,2821 44,523 54,285 111,467131,846167,627195,784 107,271 18,176 203 9,579 93,920 119,642 26,048 234 12,167 85,670 Totals 99,762 96,951 96,389 93,051103,790 101,289 114,631 229,149 243,761 *lm sluding 4,911 troi ipers' letters. t Includini 13,180 troopers' letters.