F.^r.

INSPECTION. Visits of inspection to post-offices made by Inspectors during the year numbered 1,372, and on 1,195 occasions the values were audited. In no instance was a serious discrepancy disclosed. The necessity for frequent audits will be apparent when it is mentioned that the value of the cash advances held normally at post-offices throughout the Dominion is approximately £500,000, while the value of postal notes, British postal orders, and postage and unemployment stamps held exceeds £1,000,000. It is also the duty of Inspectors to arrange for co-operation between officers in the conduct of the varied activities of the Department, and to see that a proper standard of efficiency is maintained at each office. BURGLARY OF POST-OFFICE PREMISES, ETC. The number of burglaries at post-offices during the year 1934 was not excessive. As it is the policy of the Department to ensure that only a minimum amount of money is held at post-offices overnight the amount stolen was comparatively small. In almost every instance the burglaries were committed at general stores or other buildings which are not the property of the Department, but in which the Department's business is conducted by officers of non-permanent status. Some of the offenders were apprehended and dealt with according to law. The most serious case which occurred was the theft of £61 in money from the Adelaide Road Postoffice, Wellington. A man entered the office about midday, covered the officer in charge with a revolver, and stole the cash. Although the offender escaped at the time, he was apprehended on the following day and dealt with according to law. Portion of the stolen money was restored to the Department. Thefts from street posting-boxes, public call telephone offices, and stamp-vending machines were not more numerous than usual. A very poor cash return is obtained by offenders in this class of crime, but considerable inconvenience to the public is caused and the Department is put to expense in effecting the repairs necessary to restore the services. ARTICLES DELIVERED. During the year 1934 the estimated number of articles delivered in the Dominion, including those received from places overseas, compared with the number in 1933, was as under : — 1934. 1933. Increase per Cent. Letters .. .. .. ... 142,549,211 136,137,538 4-71 Post-cards .. .. .. 4,143,426 3,991,591 3-8 Parcels .. .. .. .. 1,811,204 1,739,731 4-1 All other articles .. .. .. 99,491,011 94,444,813 5-34 Totals .. .. .. 247,994,852 236,313,673 AVERAGE NUMBER OF LETTERS POSTED PER UNIT OF POPULATION. 1934, 85-47. DEAD LETTER OFFICE. 1934. 1933. Letters returned to senders in New Zealand .. .. 378,877* 385,464f Other articles returned to senders in New Zealand .. 213,605 183,039 Letters returned to other Administrations .. .. 38,655J 40,089{ Other articles returned to other Administrations .. 37,501 33,808 Letters destroyed (senders unknown and contents of no value) .. .. .. .. .. 22,382 22,429 Letters and letter-cards posted without addresses .. 10,059 9,541 Letters imperfectly or insufficiently addressed .. .. 17,885 16,614 Letters intercepted addressed to persons and firms on prohibited list .. .. .. .. .. 8,978 6,054 Letters intercepted on account of libellous addresses .. 43 53 Newspapers received without addresses .. .. .. 2,247 1,786 Other articles received without addresses .. .. 1,795 1,878 Newspapers returned to publishers as undeliverable .. 40,849 39,067 Articles bearing previously used stamps.. .. .. 83 105 The proportion of undeliverable letters to the total number of letters delivered was 0-33 per cent., the same as in the previous year. PROHIBITED CORRESPONDENCE. The volume of correspondence intercepted in the post for addresses which have been prohibited in connection with overseas lotteries, art unions, sweepstakes, &c., continues to increase. Nearly 9-,000 letters were intercepted during the year, an increase of about 3,000 compared with the previous year.

* Including 15,126 registered. f Including 16,974 registered. J Including 391 registered.

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