F.—1.

XIV

shock moving at right angles to the line of the cable. The break occured in 100 fathoms, and the length of the break, where the wires were stranded, was not quite twelve feet, the cable on each side of the broken ends being quite sound, and in no way giving evidence of any rough usage or abrasion. Between the point of the original splice in 1879, the date of the last repairs, and within two knots of the final splice, the cable has been relaid on a route in some parts nearly two knots to the southward of its line at the time of recovery. Five knots of new cable have been laid in the place of some of the old cable of 1866, which it was deemed advisable to repair. The insulation tests taken after completion of repairs gave the insulation of the three wires, numbers 1, 2, and 3, at 202, 262, and 439 megohms per knot respectively, showing a decided improvement in the insulation of the cable when compared with the tests prior to the rupture, the tests being for each respective wire 136, 245, and 309. The other two cables across Cook Strait are in good condition, judging from the respective insulation tests, as disclosed in Tables Nos. 25 and 26.

- The usual Telegraph charts will be found attached to the report, as well as Post Office maps of the North and South Islands, showing the several Post Offices and Mail routes.

Table No. SCHEDULE OE TABLES. 1. Number and amount of Money Orders issued and paid in New Zealand. 2. Number and amount of Money Orders issued in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Australian Colonies, and made payable in the respective countries. 3. Total number and amount of Money Order and Savings Bank transactions. 4. Eeturn of Post Office Savings Bank business since system established. 5. Balance-sheet of Post Office Account. 6. List of Securities held on. account of Savings Bank Fund. 7. 8, 9. Statements showing the times within which Mails delivered by the San Francisco and Galle-Brindisi Services. 10. Number and value of Postage Stamps, &c, printed. 11. Eeturn of Subsidized Mail Steam Services. 12. Number of Postal Officers employed. 13. Comparative return of Postal Eevenue and number of Letters, &c, dealt with. 14. Estimated number of Letters, &c, delivered and posted. 15. Number of Letters, &c, delivered by letter-carriers. 16. Eeturn of Correspondence received from the United Kingdom via San Francisco and via Brindisi. 17. Eeturn of Correspondence despatched to the United Kingdom via San Francisco and vid Brindisi. 18. Number of Letters, &c, received and despatched from and to places outside the Colony. 19. Total Eevenue and Expenditure return (including the estimated value of franked correspondence). 20. Telegraph Eevenue and Expenditure return, showing cost of maintaining each station. 21. Number of Telegrams forwarded to each 100 Letters posted. 22. Comparative Quarterly Eeturn (Telegraph) for Tears ended March, 1881 and 1882. 23. Annual Eeturn showing comparative progress of Telegraph system. 24. Eeturn of Cost of Maintenance of Lines. 25. 26. Insulation Tests, Cook Strait Cables. 27. Total Cost of Telegraph Lines, including Cables. 28. Number and value of Telegraph Money Orders issued 29. Value of Government and other free messages. 30. Debtor and Creditor statement (Telegraph).