F.—]

6

The Commonwealth Post Office agreed from the Ist October, 1910, to accept impressions of the automatic franking-machine on letters in prepayment of postage. This dispensed with the necessity of this Department's stamping such letters with the " paid " stamp. From the 27th October, 1910, the rate on inland registered magazines was reduced from Id. for each copy no: exceeding 16 oz. and Id. each additional 16 oz. to |d. for each copy not exceeding 8 oz. and £d. for each additional 8 oz. The value of this reduction to the public is already in evidence. As from the Ist .January, 1911, the Post and Telegraph Guide Supplement was published quarterly instead of monthly, and the annual subscription of the Guide (including the Supplement) reduced from 2s. to Is. 6d. Dickie stamp-vending machines were installed at Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill, and Palmerston North. Judging by the large number of stamps vended, the machines appear to fill a distinct want. In Dunedin the sales on Sundays have been so heavy that it has been necessary, pending the installation of a second machine, to renew the stamps during the day. As many as 960 stamps have been vended by the Dunedin machine on one Sunday. A synchronome clock system was installed in Christchurch in May, 1910. Postage-stamps. Owing to the similarity in colour of the Is. and the 4d. King Edward postage-stamps, arrangements were made to print the 4d. stamp in a colour distinctly different from any used for other stamps of the present issue. Stamp-booklets containing 18 penny stamps and II half-penny stamps, and sold at the price of 25., superseded the old issues in August, 1910. In November last it was decided to secure a suitable design for new postage and revenue stamps, and the High Commissioner for New Zealand was requested to place the matter in the hands of Mr. Bertram Mackennal, A.R.A., the sculptor who is designing the new coinage. The design will include a portrait of King George V, together with the lettering " Dominion of New Zealand Postage and Revenue," and the value in figures only. Only one design will be used for all values, the value being altered to suit. The design is to be suitable for reproduction by the intaglio process. The new stamps are to be of exactly the same size as those of the present issue. Ocean Mail-servji i:s. San Francisco Service. The Wellington-Papeete contract with the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), whose vessels connected with the ''Mariposa" running between Papeete and San Francisco, was determined on the 7th October, 1910, and a new " through " service commenced with the same company on the 22nd October between New Zealand and San Francisco via Rarotonga and Papeete, the last New Zealand port of call on the outward voyage being Auckland, and the first inward port of call Wellington. The contract price is £1,666 13s. 4d. a voyage, and the number of voyages a year thirteen, with the option on the part of the Government of extending the duration for two years, with Wellington as the inward and outward New Zealand port of call. The contract-time between Auckland and San Francisco is 20J days, and between San Francisco and Wellington 21 days. The maximum, minimum, and average number of days within which the mails were delivered at and from London and Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin by the San Francisco mail-service was :— Maximum. Minimum. Average. London to Auckland .. .. 37 34 36 Auckland to London .. .. .. 35 32 34 London to Wellington .. .. .. 36 33 35 Wellington to London .. .. .. 36 33 35 London to Christchurch .. .. .. 37 34 36 Christchurch to London .. .. .. 37 31 36 London to Dunedin .... .. 37 34 36 Dunedin to London .. .. .. 37 34 36 Owing to an accident to the machinery, the R.M.S. " Aorangi," which left Auckland on the 11th February, 1911, did not reach San Francisco until the Bth March, five days late. The mails reached London on the 20th March, seven days late. The " Aorangi" was due to leave San Francisco for New Zealand on the Bth and to reach Wellington on the 31st March. As repairs took about eight days, mails for New Zealand were despatched by the " Mariposa," leaving San Francisco on the 10th March, 1911, and transferred at Papeete to the " Talune,'-' which arrived at Auckland at 6.30 a.m. on the 6th April. The southern portion of the mail was despatched by special train, which arrived in Wellington on the 7th April at 5.45 a.m., in time to enable correspondents there to send replies by the outward San Francisco mail leaving the same day. The mails reached Wellington seven days later than if they had left San Francisco on the due date. The penalty provided in the contract was not enforced, the breakdown being due to circumstances beyond the company's controi. The " Aorangi" left San Francisco on the 20th March and arrived at Wellington on the 11th April, twelve days later than if she had left San Francisco on due date. Vancouver Service. The contract between Australia and Vancouver expires on the 31st July, 1911. Alternative tenders were called by the Canadian Post Office, receivable up to the Ist November, 1910. Two of the alternative tenders included a call at Auckland. The Canadian Post Office accepted a tender from the Union