F.—1.

VII

San Francisco Service. Brindisi Service. London to Auckland ... ... 42—37=39-36 ... 60—46=53-46 Wellington ... ... 45—39=41-57 ... 56—44=4935 Dunedin ... ... 46—41=42-93 ... 54—42=465 Bluff ... ... 47—42=43-93 ... 53—42=46-08 Sydney. ... ... 47—41=44-21 ... 43—39=4042 Melbourne ... ... 49—43=46-36 ... 41—36=38-38 Auckland to London ... ... 53—38=40-5 ... 64—46=5207 Wellington „ ... ... 55—40=42-64 ... 63—46=535 Dunedin „ ... ... 56—41 = 43-71 ... 60—44=5046 Bluff „ ... ... 56—41=4371 ... 60—44=50-46 Sydney „ ... ... 58—43=45-64 ... 46—41=4319 Melbourne „ ... ... 59—45=47-36 ... 43—39=4073 The estimated net cost to the colony in respect of the San Francisco and Galle-Brindisi Services is set forth in the following statements: — Eeceipts and Payments on account of the San Erancisco and Galle Mail Services for the Year 1881. Son Francisco Service. Dh. £ s. d. £ s. d. Subsidy to Pacific Mail Company ... ... 32,500 0 0 Estimated bonus due contractors ... ... 1,173 0 0 Interprovincial services, Mail Agents, &c. ... 7,400 0 0 41,073 0 0 Cb. Postages from London Post Office ... ... 13,828 9 2 Postages collected in the colony ... ... 18,372 16 1 Eeceipts from non-contracting colonies ... ... 2,513 7 1 Contribution from United States Government ... 1,000 0 0 35,714 12 4 Net cost to the colony ... ... £5,358 7 8 The estimated net cost of the service for 1880 was £8,166 14s. 2d. 440,535 letters, 191,783 books, and 1,149,435 newspapers were received from, and 456,042 letters, 34,710 books, and 497,855 newspapers despatched to, the United Kingdom, &c, by the San Francisco Service. Galle-Brindisi Service. Dti. £ s. d. £ s. d. Payments to Victoria ... ... ... 8,465 8 7 Intercolonial service, &c. ... ... ... 1,342 1 6 . 9,807 10 1 Ce. Postages from London Post Office ... ... 3,311 1 2 Postages collected in the colony ... ... 1,790 5 7 5,101 6 9 Net cost to the colony ... ... £4,706 3 4 The estimated net cost for .1880 was £9,464 6s. 7d. The decrease for last year was due to the contract for the intercolonial service, at the rate of £5,000 a year, having been terminated in February, 1881. 97,915 letters, 42,954 books, and 298,403 newspapers were received from the United Kingdom, &c, by the Galle-Brindisi Service; and 23,771 letters, 829 books, and 3,781 newspapers despatched. The payments made for the year for the transmission of correspondence by the Torres Straits Mail Service amounted to £21 4s. lOd. 10,947 letters were despatched in mails for London intended to be conveyed to Naples by the Orient steamers; and 8,769 letters from London received by the same line of steamers. Savings Banics. 13 additional savings bank offices were established during the year, and 3 offices closed. The total number open at the end of the year was 190. 25,059 new accounts were opened during the year, against 16,137 in 1880 ; and 12,718 accounts were closed, against 12,217 the previous year. The number of open accounts on the 31st December last was 51,008, against 38,667 at the close of 1880. One in every ten of the population had an account in the Post Office Savings Banks. 125,855 deposits, amounting to £1,189,012 2s. 7d., were received, and the amount of each deposit averaged £9 Bs. lid. The withdrawals were 60,137 in number, for £902,195 Is. Bd., the average amount of each being £15 Os. Id. The amount at the credit of depositors increased to £1,232,787 16s. 9d., from £903,765 16s. lOd. at the close of 1880, a difference of £329,021 19s. lid. The deposits exceeded the withdrawals by no less than £286,817 Os. lid. In 1880 the deposits were in excess of the withdrawals by £83,937 ss. 6d. Interest to the amount of £42,204 19s. was credited depositors, against £32,822 12s. 4d. for 1880. The rate of interest allowed was 4J per cent, per annum on deposits not exceeding £200, and 4 per cent, on deposits over £200 but not exceeding £500, rates which have prevailed since the Ist July, 1874.