F.—l.

Revenue and Expenditure.

The revenue and expenditure of the Department for the financial year 1908-9 are shown in the following table: —

The total revenue exceeded that of 1907-8 by £91,355 Bs. 5d., and the expenditure exceeded the expenditure of 1907-8 by £98,627 13s. Bd. Postal matter posted in New Zealand anil received from abroad during the year reached a total of 89,089,871 letters, 7,643,831 post-cards, 47,420,009 other articles, and 930,267 parcels. The number of parcels insured during the year was 1.731, valued at £34,676 12s. lid., upon which premiums amounting to £63 3s. Bd. were received. 488,084 money-orders, for £2,050,684 6s. 10d., were issued, and 371,424, for £1,747,670 19s. Id. paid. The increase in the number of orders issued as compared with last year was 46,597. The postal-note business continues to increase. During the year 1.222,280 postal notes, of the value of £389,143, were sold, being an increase of 11-87 per cent, in number and 12-05 in amount as compared with the preceding year. The number of British postal orders sold increased from 36,600, for £19,564 125., to 44,877, valued at £24,178 ss. 6d., and 14,801 orders, for £10,264 19s. 6d., were paid, as against 12,238, for £8,533 195., paid during the previous year. The Savings-bank deposits (£9,674,075 45.) exceeded the withdrawals (£9,417,820 10s. 3d.) by £256,254 13s. 9d. There has been added £379,808 6s. 7d. as interest, making a total increase of £636,063 os. 4d., and bringing the whole amount at credit up to £12,159,293 18s. Id., a sum which equals £12 Is. 2d. per head of the population. The number of old-age-pension payments was 164,633, as compared with 158,782 in the previous year, the respective amount, being £336,813 Is. and £325,220 13s. 2d. The total number of telegrams forwarded was 7,425,693, an increase of 382,770, or 5-43 per cent., over the business of the previous year. The number of bureau communications shows a marked increase, being 1,423,093, as against 1,210,174. The amount expended on telegraph-extension was £163,033, with liabilities amounting to £68,837 on account of works for which the authority of Parliament was granted too late for the necessary expenditure to be brought within the financial year. On the 31st March, 1909, there were 10,404 miles of telegraph-line and 32,654 miles of wire. The length of submarine cables within the Dominion was 368 knots. The number of telephone-exchange, connections still continues to increase rapidly. It has now reached 26,833.

II

Item. Postal. Telegraph. Total. Receipts. £ s. d. 480,958 8 0J 18,586 7 5 644 2 3 10,583 16 0 33,869 6 6 £ s. d. £ s. d. 480,958 8 0J 18,586 7 5 644 2 3 10,583 16 0 38,456 12 7 233,516 10 4 131,249 0 7 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 exchanges 4,587 6 1 233,516 10 4 131,249 0 7 Balance of expenditure over revenue 544,642 0 2J 369,352 17 0 25,297 2 6 913,994 17 24 Totals 544,642 0 2. 394,649 19 6 913,994 17 2J Expenditure. Salaries (classified offioers) .. ..... 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 £ a. d. 156,118 14 7 20,880 15 0 55,682 2 10 60,171 18 9 57,825 10 1 2,114 16 5 £ s. d. 258,260 6 4 34,801 5 0 £ s. d. 414,379 0 11 55,682 0 0 55,682 2 10 60,171 18 9 57,825 10 1 2,114 16 5 40,900 8 11 120,896 11 11 60,20812 8 40,900 8 11 60,687 19 3 Balance of revenue over expenditure (Postal) (whole Department) 413,002 10 4 131,639 9 10$ 394,649 19 6 807,652 9 10 106,342* 7 4J Totals 544,642 0 2J 394,G49 19 6 913,994 17 2J