F.—l,

The proportion of dead or unclaimed letters, letter-cards, and post-cards to the total number dealt with in the colony was 037 per cent., as against o'3B per cent, in 1905. 40,012 book-packets and circulars were returned to foreign countries ; 26,067 were returned to senders through the Dead-letter Office ; 154,578 were returned by Chief Postmasters : a total of 220,657 book-packets and circulars, as compared with 180,446 in 1905. 1,363 letters were wrongly addressed ; 20 letters were discovered to have been posted with previously used stamps ; 3,748 unclaimed registered letters were dealt with. 3,328 newspapers and 2,017 books and other articles without addresses were received, many of which were subsequently applied for and delivered. 11,936 newspapers were returned to the publishers. 1,064 letters and 211 letter-cards were posted without addresses. 91 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. 598 post-office orders .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,274 18 11 48 bank drafts .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,529 12 7 467 cheques .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,244 4 0 46 dividend warrants .. .. .. .. .. .. 59 6 11 5 promissory notes .. .. .. .. .. .. 186 14 7 Postal notes .. .. .. .. .. .. 267 12 6 Stamps .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 35 15 8£ Bank-notes* .. .. .. .. .. .. 398 4 2~ Goldf 40 15 10 Silver and copper .. .. .. .. .. .. 13 2 9J Representing a total of .. .. .. .. £11,050 8 0 In addition, 2 gold watches, 15 silver watches, 12 metal watches, 7 Waterbury watches, 2 roulette watches, 32 gold-mounted greenstone brooches, 1 5 gold-mounted tusk brooches, 7 gold brooches, 2 silver brooches, 4 brooches of other material, 17 greenstone hearts, 9 gold-mounted greenstone pendants, 3 silver-mounted greenstone pendants, 2 greenstone pendants, 1 gold - mounted greenstone bean, 1 greenstone cross, 1 piece of polished greenstone, 1 pair of gold-mounted greenstone ear-rings, 3 greenstone tikis, 2 gold bangles, 1 gold-mounted greenstone bangle, 1 silver bangle, 1 metal bangle, 2 gold watch-chains, 6 silver watch-chains, 1 gold-mounted greenstone watch-chain, 1 gold-mounted silk watch-guard, 2 watch-guards made of hair, 3 metal watch-chains, 3 gold neck-chains, 2 gold spectacleframes, 1 gold whistle, 2 smallTpieces of fgold, 30 gold rings, 1 silver ring, 24 metal rings, 1 silver mug, 3 f lockets, 1 silver ornament, 2 silver medals, 1 silver whistle with pearl handle, 1 silver match-box, 1| silver hat-pin, 1 silver button-hook, 1 pair of silver-mounted greenstone carver-rests, 1 silvermounted spectacle-case, 1 silver paper-knife with greenstone handle, 2 silver butter-knives with greenstone handles, 10 gold lace-pins, 1 gold cross pin with thirteen opals, 7 tie-pins, 2 pearl necklaces, 2 shell necklaces, 1 pair of gold sleeve-links, 1 set*of,: rolled-gold studs and links, 1 pair of silver links, 2 gold studs, 2 sets of silver studs, 1 bronze medal, 2 pairs of tusks, 1 electric belt, 3 sets "of artificial teeth, 14 sheets and ,'3 packets of used stamps, 20 pawn-tickets, 10 share-certificates, 1 trotting certificate, 1 dairy-registration certificate, 1 kauri-gum license, 1 sharebroker's license, 1 miner's right, 1 first-class single railway pass (Wellington to Auckland), 1 second-class railway ticket (Newmarket to Papakura), 1 railway privilege ticket, 1 saloon ticket (Wellington to Lyttelton), 1 steerage ticket (Sydney to Wellington), were dealt with. The number of inland, intercolonial, and international articles received and disposed of during the years 1905 and 1906 was as under: —

XVI

1905. 1906. Letters. Letter-! cards. ! Paokets - News- T ,pt.t. B ra Letter- Post- p t . Newspapers, cards. j cards. papers Inland. Beturned, delivered, &c, through Deadletter Office Beturned by Chief Postmasters direot .. Destroyed in accordance with law 106,160 2,684 417i 24,439 1,590 115,347; 3,035 1,040 24,407 1,675 92,128 11,402 791 5,139 ! 110,342 1,605 2,107 32j 849 111,491' 16,737! i|ioo 6,175 }4,579 154,578 7,680 10,261 96,478 Australian. Originally addressed to other States :— Returned to writers Destroyed in accordance with law .. Returned to other States as unclaimed 5,224 810 11,901 "40 232, 764 430 69 669 7,784 6,22l! 948 1 14,034; "45 406 711 1,876 455 199 8,487 771 International. Originally addressed to other countries :— Returned to writers Destroyed in accordance with law ... Returned to other countries as unclaimed 10,362 1,475 13,106 "80 292 1,416 1,427 129 1,267 35,701 10,453 ! 1,499 13,862| "85 1,066 1,871 2,290 1,205, 380j 31,575' l',U3 Totals 252,568 3,595 11,478' 182,751 34,43! I290,592| 4,265; 20,014 228,916 110,95 * Includingv.United States Tr< : Including 1,0 ?ury not post-car; ;es for t ds detail 125. f I 1 aed, beariDg imit; icludin; ition po a a Swisi istage-sta s twent; imps. -franc piece,