F.-l

The proportion of dead or unclaimed letters, letter-cards, and post-cards to the total number dealt with in the colony was 0-38 par cent., as against 0-35 per cent, in 1904. 43,485 book-packets and circulars were returned to foreign countries; 26,619 were returned to senders through the Dead-letter Office; 110,342 were returned by Chief Postmasters : a total of 180,446 book-packets and circulars, as compared with 145,676 in 1904. 1,706 letters were wrongly addressed; 25 letters were discovered to have been posted with previously used stamps; 3,257 unclaimed registered letters were dealt with. 2,395 newspapers and 1,603 books and other articles without addresses were received, many of which were subsequently applied for and delivered. 1,590 newspapers were returned to the publishers. 1,228 letters and 245 letter-cards were posted without addresses. 27 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. 455 post-office orders ... ... ... ... ... 1,064 15 0 58 bank drafts ... ... ... ... ... ...4,120 14 7 437 cheques ... ... ... ... ... ...4,930 11 8 36 dividend warrants ... ... ... ... ... 50 7 6 12 promissory notes ... ... ... ... ... 241 5 5 Credit notes ' ... ... ... ... ... ... 45 8 4 Postal notes ... ... ... ... ... ... 249 5 6 Stamps ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 36 16 4* Bank-notes ... ... ... ... ... ... 284 0 0 Gold ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 47 0 0 Silver and copper ... ... ... ... ... ... 14 1 3J Representing a total of ... ... £11,084 5 8 In addition, 7 gold watches, 10 silver watches, 3 metal watches, 3 Waterbury watches, 9 goldmounted greenstone brooches, 5 gold brooches, 4 silver brooches, 1 silver-mounted greenstone brooch, 1 greenstone cross, 10 gold chains, 8 silver chains, 17 gold rings, 2 silver rings, 4 silver match-boxes, 1 silver sovereign-case and match-box, 2 pairs of gold sleeve-links, 2 nuggets of gold, 11 oz. of gold, 1 gold tusk, 1 gold lock for bangle, 11 greenstone hearts, 6 gold-mounted greenstone pendants, 1 gold medal, 1 gold necklace, 1 gold tooth-pick, 1 gold locket, 1 silver-mounted greenstone pendant, 5 gold tie-pins, 1 opal tie-pin, 1 greenstone bangle with gold and pearl setting, 1 small cut-glass jar with silver top, 1 silver-mounted brush and comb, 1 silver-mounted card-case, 2 jam-spoons with greenstone handles, 1 silver jam-spoon, 1 silver-plated button-hook and shoehorn, 1 silver tooth-pick, 1 silver butter-knife, 1 silver bread-fork, 3 silver cigarette-cases, 2 silver cigarette mouth-pieces, 1 silver note-case, 1 spoon of Egyptian design, 1 bangle frame, 2 lady's purses, 1 pair of ear-rings, 1 set of false-teeth, 7 thimbles, 1 pocket-knife, 4 kauri-gum licenses, 13 pawn tickets, 37 Tattersall tickets, 10 share certificates, 2 trotting certificates, 1 fixed-deposit receipt, 4 sheets and 2 packets of foreign stamps, 1 saloon return ticket New Plymouth to Onehunga, 1 steerage ticket Wellington to Auckland, 1 steerage ticket Wellington to Lyttelton, 1 steerage ticket Lyttelton to Onehunga, 1 order for a steerage ticket Lyttelton to Auckland, and a railway workman's pass Hamilton to Te Aroha were dealt with. The number of inland, intercolonial, and international articles received and disposed of during the years 1904 and 1905 was as under :—

XIV

1904. 1905. r .„„„ Letter- Post- t,. „,,„..„ News- T „ ft .„. Letter- PostLetters. eardB cards Packets. papers Letters. eards _ Packets. Newspapers. Inland. Returned, delivered, &c, through Deadletter Office Returned by Chief Postmasters direct.. Destroyed in accordance with law 101,908 81,345 8,684 2,557 753 53 4,325 405 17,369] 88,830! 1,599 I 1,800 i551307 106,160 92,128 11,402 2,684 791 417 5,139! 1,605 ! 24,439 110,342 2,107 1,590 32^849 Australian. Mginally addressed to other States :— Returned to writers Destroyed in accordance with law .. Returned to other States as unclaimed 4,902 633 12,900 "37 68 129 615 703 641 5,749 5,224 810 11,901 232j 430' 669j 764 69 7,784 40 International. Originally addressed to other countries :— Returned to writers Destroyed in accordance with law .. Returned to other countries as unclaimed 10,072 828 11,628 316 595 905 1,059 97 31,966 10,362 1,475 13,106 292 1,427 1,267 1,416 129 35,701 103 291 '*80 12,900 3,45i 7,41l| 147,436' '57,398i ,252,568 3,595 il 478 182,751 34,431