PE.—Nc' I.

Sic,— General Post Office, Wellington, 4th September, 1872. I have the honor to submit to your Excellency the Thirteenth Report on the Postal Service of New Zealand. I have, &c, To His Excellency Julius Vogel, Governor Sir George Eerguson Bowen, G.C.M.G., Postmaster-General. &c, &c, &c.

REPORT. The progress of the Department during the year has been satisfactory. In each of its branches steady increase is shown. To meet the growing requirements of outlying districts existing mail services have been extended and new ones established. Fifty new Post Offices have been opened, and thirteen have been closed. Eive receiving letter-boxes and pillars have also been erected for the convenience of persons residing in towns at a distance from the Post Office. With the exception of occasional interruptions from flooded rivers, and from heavy falls of snow in the interior, the inland mail services, have on the whole been satisfactorily performed. In 1871 there were 188 inland mail services in the Colony, of an aggregate length of 5,096 miles. Of these services 64 were performed by coach or mail-cart, 92 on horseback, 13 on foot, 15 by water, and 4 by railway. The number of miles travelled b} r these during the year was 1,050,368, at a cost of about £23,000, being an average of about s|-d. per mile.

DEPARTMENTAL. SCHEDUEL of Post Offices in New Zealand in 1870 and 1871.

New Post and Telegraph Offices have been erected at Hawera, Coromandel, Ahaura, and Motueka. Offices are being built at New Plymouth, Waiau, and Hurunui, and will shortly be ready for occupation. Offices are also about to be erected at Boss, Reefton, and Tokomairiro. The building at Westport occupied as Post and Telegraph Offices, in consequence of the encroachments of the sea, is being removed to a safe locality. In all places where practicable, the Postal and Telegraph Departments are amalgamated. The total number of letters received in 1871 was 3,296,990, against 3,018,923 in 1870 ; and the total number of letters despatched was 2,784,707 in 1871, against 2,626,947 in 1870, —showing an increase in both classes of letters in 1871 of 435,818 over 1870. The total number of newspapers received in 1871 was 2,308,634, against 2,266,934 in 1870; and the total number of newspapers despatched was 1,871,150 in 1871, against 1,622,728 in 1870, —being an increase of 290,122 newspapers in 1871 over 1870. The Revenue also shows a satisfactory increase, being £47,054 18s. 3d. in 1871, against £43,086 15s. in 1870.

TIII E T E E N TII E E P 611T osr THE POSTAL SERVICE OF HEW ZEALAND, BY THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL.

18' '1. 170. Postal Disteicts. Head Offices. Post Offices. Sub-Post Offices. Totals. Head Offices. Post Offices. Sub-Post Offices. Totals. Luckland lawke's Bay ... Wellington kelson Marlborough ... Canterbury Westland )tago Southland Chatham Islands 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 107 2 11 27 38 40 10 77 25 113 16 Ill 3 12 29 49 43 13 81 27 116 19 1 1 4 98 103 1 1 2 2 3 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 3 1 2 2 11 24 31 37 9 73 22 107 16 12 26 33 40 13 77 24 110 19 1 Totals ... 12 17 466 495 11 19 429 458