p.—l.

POST OFFICE. REDUCTION IN POSTAGE-RATES. On the Ist June postage rates and charges were reduced as under, as a contribution by Government Wards a lowering of costs for the community generally . , ■ ī i _

Inland Mail-services. With few exceptions, all services have been maintained throughout the year with reguiarity and efficiencv The North Island contracts expire at the end of 1933, and the preliminary action necessa y tothelnviting of fVesh tenders for the services has been commenced. Appreciable work l +tin ( r nf the kind With a view to spreading the work, it was arranged some time ago to Sort"2nd in I differed p.Aon, is now to be carried further, it being the intention to provide at this years reletting that halt ol tne North Island contracts be for a term of two years, and half for a term of three years. in reletting the mail contracts will then be spread fairly evenly over each year, the usual period COnt So Ct fa b r e throp^tion r of the Transport Act has had very little effect on mail-services generally due no doubt, to the provision made in the Act for " automatic licenses for those °P erators who had been running on a route for a specified period before the coming into the case of North Island services, however, these licenses elapsed on the 28th lebr y. tractors who carry passengers must obtain a renewal each year of their passenger-carrying licenses. Already £ahave been refused, and mail contractors have had to abandoni the* contracte In such cases no penalty has been inflicted by the Department. In one case the Department was involved in a considerable increase in subsidy m securing a new contractor Since the 3rd December a daily express-train service has again operated between Invercargill making unnecessary the twice-weekly road mail-service to Invercargill from Dunedin, a Sablisted tosnpplement the mail-service by tain dur.ng the per,ode of snspens.on $££ r times of departure of the " Limited " and ordinary express trams, which used to take departure o Wellington at 7 and 7.40 p.m. respectively. Although the express tram now arrives at Wellmgt 742 a m correspondence connects with the postmen's deliveries commencing soon after 8 a.m.

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Item. j 01d Rate - New Rate ' Letter. and letter-cards for inland »LJ« tot oz and Id. for each LLfordir.. oz. and id. for each letter-cards addressed 2d. for first oz„ and Id. for each li te M oz, and Id. fo, each to places within the Empire, additional oz. additional oz. United States, and certain other places , A Late fee M •• W- -- Id. for each 4 oz. up to 1 lb., Jd. for each 2 oz. up to 2 lb., and Inland packets . addit i on al lb. 2d. for each additional lb. up upto5lb. to 5 lb. Registered magazines (inland) .. Each copy 2d. for each 8 oz. .. Each copy Id. for each 8 oz. PafceMinknd) '' Not exceeding 1 lb. ,"ed. ; not Not exceeding lib., rarceis (ml ) exceeding 2 lb., Is. ; for each each additional lb up to 10 lb additional lb. up to 11 lb., 3d. ; 2d. ; for each additional lb. maximum weight, 11 lb. ; up to 14 lb., Id. ; maximum maximum size, 6 ft. in length weight, 14 lb. ; maximum size, and girth combined 6 ft. in length and girth combined. Parcels , (inland) (except those 3 s. 3d. for 11 lb. or less .. lb. «to» ; to each containing fishing-rods, goilclubs, and parcels not exceeding 1 in. in thickness) exceeding 4 ft. 6 in. length and girth P arc els (inland) containing fishing- Not exceeding 3 lb., 2s. 6d. ; NotexceedingS lb., jfc for each rods and golf-clubs exceeding for each additional lb. up to additional lb. up to 11 lb., 3d. 3 ft. 6 in. but not exceeding 11 lb., 3d. 4 ft. 6 in. in length