F.—l

XIII

The number of post-offices open at the end of the year was 2,064. Parcel-post. Since the 28th October, 1907, the limit of amounts for which parcels addressed to the United Kingdom are insured has been raised from £50 to £400. The rate is Is. 6d. for £60 and 3d. for each additional £12 up to £396, and Bs. 9d. for £400. The limit in respect of certain other countries named in the Post and Telegraph Guide has also been raised to £400. Parcels containing coin exceeding £5 sterling in value addressed to the United Kingdom and other countries sent through London arc not now accepted. The following table shows the number and weight of parcels posted during the years 1890, 1900, 1906, and 1907 :—

The following table shows the number and weight of parcels exchanged with the United Kingdom and the undermentioned places during the years 1906 and 1907 :—

The declared value of parcels received from places outside the Dominion in 1907 was £310,219. The Customs duty collected amounted to £49,108 14s. Id. The declared value of parcels despatched to places beyond the Dominion was £27,395 as against £21,540 in 1906.

Postal Districts. 1890. Number. ': Weight. 1900. Number. Weight. 1906. ! Number. Weight. 1907. Number. Weight. Auckland Blenheim Christchurch Dunedin Gisborne Greymouth Hokitika Invercargill Napier Nelson New Plymouth .. Oamaru Thames Timaru Wanganui Wellington Westport .. 21,882 1,846 .. 19,383 .. ! 22,500 .. j 938 .. ! 2,509 1,413 3,458 .. I 6,265 .. ' 4,723 .. i 1,007 859 1,491 2,013 .. ; 4,035 .. | 25,893 .. i 1,077 Lb. oz. 57,912 10 4,357 11 58,708 4 615,329 13 2,570 6 6,243 13 3,924 5 7,477 5 17,075 14 13,370 7 2,674 3 2,123 3 3,661 8 4,774 8 9,563 8 74,544 2 2,332 4 40,287 1,961 30,897 34,411 2,022 2,583 2,527 6,661 8,848 5,261 3,038 1,149 2,989 1,743 8,846 44,322 1,868 Lb. oz. 122,449 9 5,976 4 118,206 8 125,419 10 ; 5,771 15 7,711 4 ! 9,173 5 20,617 0 28,142 15 16,916 4 9,615 9 4,162 7 9,094 4 5,294 1 28,206 10 ,160,737 4 4,645 15 76,913 2.795 49,511 49,751 3,075 ' 4,151 ■ 3,530 8,082 14,384 7,380 5,569 1,851 ; 4,422 3,341 16,122 98,480 2,852 Lb. oz. 1 260,576 14 9,775 10 178,269 13 186,478 12 10,100 7 10,692 0 1 12,206 10; 24,575 9j 44,267 1 22,278 2 16,803 0 6,130 11 12.263 11 9,291 11 52,085 9 346,010 8 7,782 10 154.371 5,618 90,910 87,354 8,236 5,975 4,508 17,443 26,027 14,032 11,376 3,587 8,436 6,659 34,076 196,680 5,647 Lb. oz. 482,075 1 16,188 15 320,873 2 305,449 11 25,987 10 19,673 0 14,975 0 45,757 11 115,703 7 37,801 12 33,184 14 10,933 0 - 23,497 6 19,151 15 99,592 15 703,800 12 14,826 4 .. 121,292 680,935 2,289,472 7 Totals .. 1336,643 12 1199,413 682,140 7 352,209 1,209,888 10

Received. Despal tched. Country. 1906. 1907. Number. I Weight. Number. | Weight. 1906. Number. I Weight. 1907. Number. Weight. United Kingdom and foreign countries (via London) United States of America .. Canada Victoria New South Wales South Australia Queensland Tasmania.. Western Australia Samoa Fiji Ceylon Uruguay Cape Colony Natal India 65,806 Lb. oz. 344,608 0 91,065 Lb. oz. 487,962 8 9,574 Lb. oz. 25,407 10 11,098 Lb. oz. 30,171 10 6,757 491 7,739 11,506 494 706 442 357 12 87 283 18,088 9 719 0 22,190 3 32,908 0 1,274 7 1,812 4 1,142 4 809 4 36 10 223 14 831 10 4,924 509 8,377 12,153 528 759 483 359 24 133 303 13,349 5 1,090 0 25,748 0 34,936 0 1,894 14 1,699 2J 1,196 0 812 2 98 4 314 2i 1,047 3j; 1,384 255 3,200 4,925 521 742 748 587 205 359 123 64 150 306 236 2,942 7 461 5 6,272 6 8,607 0 991 2 1,262 7 1,433 10 1,087 9 663 10 1,012 4 293 9 i 185 7 ! 283 15 563 13 631 0 1,124 377 3,453 5,257 502 749 707 530 212 468 103 88 185 300 256 2.381 9 668 12 7,200 6 9,833 7 1,083 15 1.382 12 1,425 8 1,065 15 709 13 1,179 0 347 0 247 8 322 5 560 34 717 3^ 416 85 781 669 9 187 6 3,141 8 418 105 862 664 8 169 4 3,954 12 Totals 95,962 428,642 8 121,002 1574,436 1J 23,379 52,099 2 j 25,409 59,296 142