I

Session 11. 1906. NEW ZEALAND.

POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT (REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR 1905.

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

My Lord, — General Post Office, Wellington, 6th August, 1906. I have the honour to submit to Your Excellency the Report of the Post and Telegraph Department for the*year 1905, 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.

EBPOET. The expansion of business which has been recorded in the reports for many years past still continues. Never has the revenue been so buoyant as during the year just closed. The estimate of revenue, which was considered to be an optimistic one, has been exceeded by £29,578, and the balance of revenue over expenditure was greater than ever attained in the historj' of the Department. The year has throughout been a record one, and it is gratifying to find that an increase in earnings of £51,572 over the previous year has been gained at the moderate increase of expenditure of £18,805. Even on the telegraph side, where an annual deficiency is looked for, the excess of expenditure over revenue was comparatively so slight that it is reasonable to hope that a small surplus will be shown for the current year. The financial outlook in all branches of the Department is very bright. The revenue and expenditure of the Department for the year 1905-6 are shown in the following table: —

i—F. 1.

Item. Postal. Telegraph. Total. Receipts. £ s. d. 353,873 11 7 23,668 19 10J 637 10 3 8,726 3 0 24,060 18 10J £ a. d. £ a. d. 353,873 11 7 23,608 19 10J 637 10 3 8,726 3 0 27,955 17 3J 180,474 7 9 89,542 1 5 Stamps for postage Money-order and postal-note commission Money-order commission received from foreign offices Private box and bag fees Miscellaneous receipts Paid telegrams .. .. .. • • ■ Telephone exohanges 3,894 18 5 180,474 7 9 89,542 1 5 Balance of expenditure over revenue (Telegraph) 410,967 3 7 273,911 7 7 2,669 4 10 684,878 11 2 Totals 410,967 3 7 276,580 12 5 684,878 11 2 Expenditure. Salaries (classified officers) Salaries (country Postmasters and telephonists and contributions to railway officers) 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 £ s. d. 110,602 3 1 18,958 0 6 54,610 15 7 52,929 4 7 32,619 10 4 1,916 19 1 £ s. d. 189,941 5 0 24,491 1 10 £ a. d. 300,543 8 1 43,449 2 4 54,610 15 7 52,929 4 7 32,619 10 4 1,916 19 1 35,089 3 0 57,568 8 7 30,509' 6 0 35,089 3 0 27,059 2 7 Balance of revenue over expenditure (Postal) (combined Department) 302,145 19 2 108,821 4 5 276,580 12 5 578,726 11 7 106,151'19 7 Totals 410,967 3 7 276,580 12 5 684,878 11 2