E.—l

4

8 additional pillar and receiving boxes have been established, and 2 closed. There were 20 iron pillar and 45 receiving boxes open at the end of the year. Several Post Offices have been transferred to railway stations, and the duties of Station Clerk combined with those of Postmaster and Telegraphist. 59 additional stamp licenses were issued in 1876, and 14 cancelled. The total number of licensed stamp vendors on the 31st December last was 239, who received £767 14s. lid. by way of poundage on the sale of stamps. Country postmasters, not on the permanent staff, were also paid poundage amounting to £204 lis. 4d. For the carriage of inter-provincial mails by unsubsidized vessels, £532 Is. 4d. was paid ; and £1,724 18s. 7d. represented the amount disbursed on account of inter-colonial mails conveyed by vessels not under contract. The number of private boxes occupied was 1,715, producing a revenue of £1,778 10s. A revenue of £251 was received from the holders of 129 private bags. From the Ist of January last, tho fee for the use of a private bag for six months was fixed at half tho annual charge. The block of Government buildings in Blenheim, which included the Chief Post Office and other Government offices, was totally destroyed by fire on the morning of the 2nd November last. The Post Office being contiguous to that part of the buildings in which the fire originated, everything was destroyed with the exception of four bags of mails, and the contents of the safe. Temporary premises were at once secured, and business was resumed without delay. New and substantial offices are being erected, and the work is progressing most satisfactorily. Postage Stamps and Post Cabds. A very large reserve stock of postage stamps was printed during the year. Post-cards were issued on the Ist November last, and the number printed in 1876 as an advance supply was 1,002,500. Dead Lettees. 50,070 unclaimed or dead letters were disposed of in the Dead Letter Office during the year 1870. The table underneath enumerates the number of this class of letters dealt with, year by year, since 1872:—

The following particulars show the number and articles of value enclosed iv letters dealt with at the Dead Letter Office for the year:— £ s. d. 105 money orders of the value of ... ... ... 401 18 3 48 bank drafts, representing ... ... ... ... 2,648 3 8 21 cheques, for a total amount of ... ... ... 455 9 8 Postage stamps amounting to ... ... . ... ... 017 3 Duty stamps ... ... ... ... ... 2 7 6 Banknotes ... ... ... ... ... 93 0 0 Gold ... ... ... ... ... 7 0 0 Silver and copper ... ... ... ... ... 1 5 5J Eepresenting a total of ... ... ... ... £3,610 1 9| In addition to the above, 6 gold rings, 1 gold pin, 7 pairs gold earrings, 2 gold brooches, 1 pair gold sleeve links, 2 gold lockets, 2 sets gold studs, 1 gold chain, 1 hair bracelet, and 2 parcels gold dust were also received in the Dead Letter Office. 641 registered letters were received and dealt with. 36 letters were posted without addresses; 4 had valuable enclosures to the amount of £1,506 10s., and 2 contained other articles of value. 16 letters were posted with previously-used postage stamps. 687 letters were detained for postage, 49 of which were subsequently prepaid by the writers, and forwarded to their respective addresses. 787 books, newspapers, and other articles without addresses were received in the Dead Letter Office during the year, 55 of which it was found practicable to deliver to the persons for whom intended. Eegisteeed Lettees. 52,866 letters of all classes were registered, being an increase of 4,936 over the number registered during the previous year. Of these, "officially-registered" letters, which are authorized to pass through tho post free, formed a not inconsiderable number. Buildings. After a series of delays, the erection of the new buildings intended for the use of the Chief Post Office and other departments in Christchurch has been commenced. The building should be finished by the Ist July, 1878.

Manner of Disposal. 1872. 1873. 1874. 1875. 26,153 39,051 6,828 10,321 105 78 4,227 6,081 37,313 55,531 1876. tpened and returned to the writers Upturned unopened to other countries !e-issued Icstroyed 17,707 5,512 85 2,881 20,602 5,393 75 3,801 29,871 44,067 9,703 83 5,217 59,070 Totals 26,188