F.-l.

Although the work of auditing the accounts forms a most important duty of Inspectors the inspection is not restricted to an audit proper. The whole range of activities of subject of scrutiny by the Inspectors, who thus assist m maintaining a proper standard of efficiency and co ordination in all branches of the work of the office. BURGLARY OF POST-OFFICE PREMISES, ETC. During the year the number of burglaries of post-office premises was not excessive. In most cases the oflenders were arrested and dealt with according to law. The total amount stolen was comparatively small, the Department always taking the precaution of pranging for cash and values held overnight at post-offices to be restricted as much as possible. The offices usually broken into are those situated in country centres in general-store or other premises which are not the prop y ° f fromstreet posting-boxes and from public call offices (coin-in-the-slot telephones) assumed serious dimensions during the year. Offences of this kind offer a very poor return to the offender, but they cause a great deal of trouble to the Department, and involve it m considerable expense, particularly in the case of telephone call offices, in restoring service and m making good damage to apparatus. 7 And a most serious aspect of offences of the kind is the inconvemence caused to the public due to delay to or destruction of letters and the temporary absence of facilities for making telephone calls. Fortunately, the public appears to be well aware that letters containing anything of value should be registered at a post-office, as the amount lost m the stolen letters was suipnsi g y small. ARTICLES DELIVERED. During the year 1932 the estimated number of articles delivered in the Dominion, including those received from places overseas, compared with the number in 1931, was as under 1932. 1931. per Cent ; Tpttpr , .. ' .. 128,139,784 137,046,678 6-49 Post-cards " . .. 3,™,990 4,152,807 9-96 TW P i s .. .. 1,475,612 1,817,988 18-83 All other articles 89,216,910 97,440,505 8-44 Totals .. •• •• 222,571,296 240,457,977 AVERAGE NUMBER OF LETTERS POSTED PER UNIT OF POPULATION. 1932, 77-48. DEAD LETTER OFFICE. 1932. 1931. Letters returned to senders in New Zealand . . •• 372,665* ,537f Other articles returned to senders in New Zealand .. 192,166 218,D1 f Letters returned to other Administrations .. •• '""S Other articles returned to other Administrations .. .. 03, ill « ' Letters destroyed (senders unknown and contents of no value) 19,232 t'aw Letters and letter-cards posted without addresses.. . . 8,784 9, »1/ Letters imperfectly or insufficiently addressed .. •• 18,201 i»,ujd Letters intercepted addressed to persons and firms on prohibited list •• •• 3 > o °o Letters intercepted on account of libellous addresses .. 6» Newspapers received without addresses .. •• •• ->412 a,i»z Other articles received without addresses _ .. ■ J'™ a snnfi 1 Newspapers returned to publishers as undeliverable . . 3b, 048 109 Articles bearing previously used stamps The proportion of undeliverable letters to the total number of letters delivered was 0-33 per cent. In 1931 the proportion was 0-40 per cent. PROHIBITED CORRESPONDENCE. As a result of the large increase in the number of overseas lotteries art unions, sweepstakes &c the volume of correspondence intercepted in the post for addresses which have been prohibited has'more than doubled in the last few years. The number of letters intercepted at present exceeds tllTC The°actk)t taken l by the Department in these cases is dictated by the P rovlslon made m Post and Telegraph Act for the prohibition of the issue of money-orders and the transmission of postal correspondence in the Dominion for any person or organization engaged m conducting ot carrying out a lottery, scheme of chance, or unlawful game. Art unions authorized m New Zealand by the Minister of Internal Affairs are, of course, not affected by the legislation, but the ban, once imposed, applies to all correspondence for the person or firm concerned.

* Including 17,645 registered. f Including 23,183 registered. J Including 490 registered. § Including 653 registered.

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