p.—l

III

Statement showing Revenue and Expenditure of the Post and Telegraph Department for the Ten Years ended 31st March, 1910, and for the Years 1881-82 and 1891-92.

Report. The improvements in the service recommended by the Secretary to the Department on his return from Europe lasi year are being carried into effect as rapidly as possible, and the full effect of the annual saving estimated should Boon be apparent. There have been unavoidable delays in making some of the changes proposed, mainly owing to mechanical difficulties, which arc rapidly being overtime. The state of the principal improvements recommended may be summarised as follows : — Abolition of Back-stamping of Letters. This has been carried into effect ai all the principal offices, and has proved to be i>1 greal value, not only as a saving of labour, but as facilitating the despatch of work. Large mails arriving at the principal centres are sorted much more rapidly than when it was necessary to back-stamp received letters. It often happens that a saving of twelve to twenty-four hours has been possible owing to the letters being sorted in time to catch the letter-carrier's delivery or country mails, which would not have been possible in the time under the old system." The saving of labour was particularly appreciated during the Christmas pressure, and not the least good point is that it has enabled Sunday work to be materially reduced. After an experience of eight months, it has been fully demonstrated that the absence of date-stamping at the office of receipt causes no inconvenience to the public or the P. st Office. Had the back-stamping not been abolished, it would have been necessary to increase the staff at several offices. Closing of Mail-bags. An initial supply of lead seals and sealing apparatus has been ordered from London, and will be brought into vise immediately on receipt. Stamp-vending Machin <. The proprietors of the Dickie machine were only able to deliver one machine up to May, 1910, when an additional seven were delivered. The first machine has been in constant use in Wellington since November last, and has worked satisfactorily. The machines recently delivered are being distributed to Auckland, Napier, Wangamii, Christ-church, Dunedin, and Invercargill. By the installation of the machine at Wellington the Stamp Clerk has been saved attendance upon an average of eighty purchasers of stamps per diem. As the machine becomes better known it will, no doubt, be patronised more freely by the public. Parcel-post. The suggested improvements in practice have been carried out, and the new system is working smoothly. Although it was not proposed to remove any officers from the parcel-post branch, it was found thai under the new arrangement the staff was not fully employed at the principal offices, which enabled several officers to be placed at other duties. Rural Deliveries. It is proposed to ask for a vote of Parliament to enable rural deliveries to be established. Long and troublesome negotiation has been necessary with the company controlling the special boxes referred to in the Secretary's report; but, the difficulty having been practically overcome, it is hoped that a boxes will be in the Dominion by the end of August. Collection of Letters from Posting-boxes. The necessary boxes to provide largely increased facilities to the public are being manufactured, and will be installed as soon as special locks, ordered from London, are to hand.

Year. Revenue. Expenditure. Balance of Revenue over Expenditure. .881-82 & s. d. 234,529 8 0 I S, s. 233,291 10 a. ■i £ r. a. 1,237 17 8 £ r. rt. 1,237 17 8 .891-92 320,058 1 3 268,343 1 1 51,715 0 51,715 0 2 'J .900-1901 .901-190:2 902-1903 .903-1004 .904-1905 905-1906 906-1907 .907-1908 908-1909 .909-1910 503,835 19 o£ 488,573 1 11* 525,098 17 3£ 580,771 4 5£ (333,305 12 1\ 684,878 11 2" 746,249 16 O^ s±2,639 8 9| 913,994 17 2£ 961,500 10 2* 418,271 16 11 465,756 9 5 487,814 10 0 526,746 14. 5 559,921 1 5 578,726 LI 7 619,121 0 9 709,024 L6 2 807,652 9 10 858,059 15 .1 85,564 2 22,816 12 37,284 7 54,024 10 73,384 11 106,151 19 127,128 lo 113,614 12 106,342 7 103,440 15 6* 6A 3i oi 2| 7 3i 7* U H Total for ten years £829,752 13 £829,752 13 7* 7*