F.—1.

IV

The number of post offices actually open on the 31st December last, compared with the number in 1880, will be found from the following table: —

The names of the following post offices were chaDged : Taratahi (Wellington) to Clareville ; Eosbery (Greymouth) to Barrytown; Otepopo (Oamaru) to Herbert; Manaia (Auckland) to Dunbar's; Waitetuna (Auckland) to Okete ; Tadmor (Nelson) to Upper Motueka; Opaki (Wellington) to Dreyerton ; Thornbury Junction (Invercargill) to Thornbury; Eoxhill Station (Nelson) to Wai-iti; Manuherikia (Dunedin) to Alexandra South. Government Insurance agencies were opened at the post offices at Chatham Islands, Coalgate, Dargaville, Leeston, Pahi, Pukekohe, Takaka, Te Kopuru, Sydenham; and the agency at Dunsandel closed. 13 additional money order and savings banks offices were established ; and two offices opened for the transaction of money-order business only. Comparative Eettjen of Officers of the Postal Department for the Tears 1880 and 1881. Officers. 1881. 1880. Officers. 1881. 1880. Postmaster-General ... ... i I Chief Postmasters ... ... 17 16 Secretary ... ... ... 1 1 Postmasters ... ... ... 13 12 Inspector of Post Offices ... ... 1 1 Clerks and Cadets ... ... n 1 113 Accountant, Money Order and Savings Sub-Postmasters... ... ... 838 828 Bank Department ... ... I 1 Letter-carriers ... ... ... 57 55 Clerks in General Post Office ... 6 6 Messengers ... ... ... n 15 Clerks in Money Order and Savings Shipping officers ... ... ... 2 2 Bank Department ... ... 5 6 —— Mail Agents ... ... ... 3 3 Totals ... ...1,067 1,060 71 additional stamp licenses were issued in 1881, and 17 cancelled. The total number of licensed stamp-vendors on the 31st December last was 453, who received £1,088 6s. lOd. by way of poundage on the sale of stamps. The sum paid for the carriage of interprovincial and intercolonial mails by unsubsidized vessels was £3,272 ss. 3d., but this did not represent what was actually due. 3,370 private boxes were let, which, together with the fees on 205 private bags, produced a revenue of £3,404 Bs. 6d. The total number of miles travelled by the inland mail services was 2,690,812, at a total cost of £23,334 18s., or an average of 2*oBd. per mile. The railway services continue to be performed without charge. In 1880 the total cost of the inland services was £35,062 Is. Id., and the rate per mile 3Ad. £5,358 7s. Bd. was the net cost of the San Francisco Service, and £4,706 3s. 4d. that of the service via Galle-Brindisi for the year. The extent to which the Post Office was used for the free transmission of official correspondence is shown by the following statement: — Okficiatj Cobbespondence. Letters. Books. £ s. d. Letters. Books. £ s. d. Auckland ... 14,185 lb. ... 12,055 lb. ■•• 4,266 5 2 Hokitika ... 4,402 lb. ... 1,4785 lb. ... 1,223 3 4 Thames ... 976 „ ... 1,030 „ ... 297 19 9 Blenheim ... 725 „ ~, 2,675 a ••■ 287 16 6 New Plymouth 1,752 „ ... 2,024 „ ... 547 13 o Christchurch 8,765 „ ... 33,3762 „ ... 3,460 8 5 Gisborne ... 325 „ ... 656 „ ... 108 12 o Timaru ... 2,422! ~ ... 1,224 „ •■• 687 611 Napier ... 1j473i v ... 2,794 „ ... 486 1 2 Oamaru ... 1,250 „ ... 1,000 „ ... 366 13 4 Wanganui ... 3,6652 „ ... 2,160 „ ... 1,051 4 4 Dunedin ... 7,990 „ ... 11,5552 „ ... 2,540 12 8 Wellington ... 134,039 „ ... 47,973 „ ...40,363 2 5 Invercargill ... 1,316 „ ... 1,605 ~ ■■• 405 14 7 Nelson ... 2,710 „ ... 4,562 „ ... 883 19 5 Westport ... 1,028 „ ... 922 „ ... 277 6 8 Total ... ... £58,584 13 8 Greymouth ... 4,737 „ ... 1,980 „ ... 1,330 14 o ——— — The estimated value was £5,717 19s. 4s. less than the previous year.

Ii. 18! to. Postal Districts. Chief Offices. Secondclass Post Offices. Sub-Post Offices. Totals. Chief Offices. Secondclass Post Offices. Sub-Post Offices. Totals. Auckland Thames New Plymouth. G-iBborne Napier Wanganui "Wellington Nelson Westport Gtreymouth Hokitika Blenheim Christchurch ... Timaru Oamaru Dunedin Invercargill Chatham Islands 3 1 1 1 188 H '5 8 40 26 60 28 16 25 24 >5 132 36 18 132 60 192 iS '7 9 42 27 61 30 17 26 2 2 177 5° 22 60 26 16 24 29 12 132 37 18 142 55 180 '5 15 53 23 61 28 '7 25 3° 15 '35 38 19 144 57 1 25 18 2 2 •35 37 19 134 62 2 2 1 1 I I I 1 2 Totals 838 868 16 828 <7 13 12