F.—l

It was necessary during the year to purchase at Maungakaramea, Plimmerton, Riccarton, and Waipahi buildings to accommodate the post-offices at those places. At Kohukohu a residence was benight for the Postmaster. Tho extended use of motor-vehicles rendered necessary during tho year the provision of workshop and garage accommodation at Invercargill, Palmerston North, Wanganui, and Wellington. Small garage buildings were provided at Matamata, Morrinsville, Opotiki, Papakura, Rotorua, Whakatane, anel Whangarei; and a garage and store building was erected at Masteirton. A portion of the new building ereoted for the Department in Hereforel Street, Christchurch, has bee'.n occupied by the Telegraph Branch, thus releasing for postal purposes accommodation urgently requireel in the Chief Post-office building. Necessary alterations are now being made to the latter building. A portion of the old post-office building at Patea was moved to Whenuaknra for use as a postoffice. At Lichfield and Okaramio small post-office buildings were provided by the settlers. In each case tho cost of the work was subsidized by tho Department. In consequence of the opening of the Otira Tunnel, the post-office building at Otira was moved to a position nearer the western end of tho tunnel and the site of tho railway-station. The now post-office building at Stratford has been completed, anel a building to house the automatic-telephone exchange in Wellington, is nearing completion. The post-office building at Paeroa, which has serveel its period of usefulness, is to be replaced by an up-to-date structure on a new site. Owing to increased business, additional accommodation for post-office purposes is requireel at Gisborno, Greymouth, Invercargill, Masterton, and Nelson, and the question of making aeklitions to the post-office buiklings at these places will require to be faced shortly. In the case eif Gisborne, it is hoped, to proceod during the ensuing year with an extensive addition to the existing building. MONEY-ORDERS. . Money-orders issued during the year numbered 684,979, for a total of £4,390,159 ; those paid 580,836, for £4,034,239. The total commission received for the transaction of money-order business amounted to £28,357. POSTAL NOTES. Twenty-one offices were openeel and five closed, leaving 1,099 postal-note offices in operation at the end of the year. At these offices 2,652,777 postal-notes, for £804,343 6s. lid., wore issued, and 2,633,537 were paid. TELEGRAPHS. TELEGRAPH AND TOLL TRAFFIC. The following comparative tables show the position in regard to telegraph and telephone traffic :—

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1923-24. 1922-23. Increase. Decrease. Increase Decrease per Cent. | per Gent. Ordinary Telegrams. Number .. .. I 5,581,185 I 5.285,175 ' 296,010 .. 5*601 | .. Revenue .. .. £291,225 i £324,771 .. £33,546 .. 10-329 Urgent Telegrams. Number .. ..I 265,772 ! 228,904 I 36,868 .. 16 106 I Revenue .. .. j £27,686 ) £27,448 1 £238 .. 0-867 | . . Press Telegrams. Number .. ... 432.120 j 389,607 , 42,513 I . ! 10-912 Revenue .. ..I £58,619 j £50,297 | £8,S22 ! .. | 16546 Night Letter-telegrams. Number .. .. 106,219 ! 32,880 i 73,339 .. I 223 050 | Revenue .. .. £5,287 ! £2,554 j £2,733 I .. | 107-009 Government Telegrams (for which no payment is received). Number .. .. 69,597 170,385 /1 .. 100,788 | .. | 59-153 Value .. .. £4,930 £9,727 ! .. £4,797 j .. 49-316 Toll Communications. Number .. .. i 8,021,973 7,406,257 615,716 ..I 8-313 Revenue .. .. j £317,512 £294,374 , £23,138 ! .. 1 7-860