F—l

The following table shows the number and weight of parcels exchanged with the United Kingdom and the under-mentioned places during the years 1899 and 1900 : —

The declared value of parcels received from places outside the colony in 1900 was £87,662. The Customs duty collected amounted to £16,642 11s. 6d. The declared value of parcels despatched to places beyond the colony was £11,800, as against £10,806 in 1899. On the Ist February, 1900, a direct exchange of parcels was established with Cape Colony, and also with the other South African Colonies via Capetown. This service has been much used and appreciated by those having friends and relatives serving in the several New Zealand Contingents luring the war. The direct parcel exchange inaugurated with the United States of America on the Ist July, 1900, has already assumed considerable proportions. In the eleven months ended 31st May, 707 parcels were despatched to, and 1899 parcels received from, that country. On the Ist January, 1901, a substantial reduction was made in the rates of postage on parcels to the United Kingdom. The new rates are arranged in three stages only, as follows: For a parcel not exceeding 3 lb., Is. ; over 31b. but not over 71b., 25.; over 71b. but not over 111b., 3s. :as against the former rates of Is. for the first pound and 6d. for each succeeding pound. This system of dividing the postages on parcels into three stages is termed the three-step scale, and also applies to parcels addressed to a number of British possessions and foreign countries sent by way of London. Efforts are being made to extend the three-step scale to as many countries as possible, in order to eventually secure uniformity of system in parcel-post rates combined with the lowest possible charges to the public. Official Coebbspondencb. ■ The estimated volume and value of official and other free correspondence posted during 1900 is given in the statement below :—

XII

Eeci jived. Despatched. Country. 1899. 1900. 1899. 1900. Number. Weight. Number. Weight. Number. Weight. Number. Weight. United Kingdom and foreign countries (via London) United States Hawaii Vancouver Victoria New South Wales South Australia Queensland Tasmania.. Western Australia Samoa Earotonga Fiji Norfolk Island Ceylon Uruguay Cape Colony Transvaal 19,719 lb. oz. 68,628 0 21,682 lb. oz. 76,132 0 4,524 lb. oz. 10,128 5 4,690 lb. oz. 9,769 0 56 3 82 3,235 5,691 258 327 152 244 14 10 29 115 4% 178 0 11,076 0 16,097 8 779 15 712 12 434 11 538 0 02 11 15 0 60 13 898 24 147 3,540 6,229 ■ 244 308 143 260 15 19 36 2,242 0 40 13 236 5 12,849 8 17,629 8 715 4 631 8 406 2 756 0 94 7 45 3 95 1 24 67 1,346 1,975 194 293 315 266 213 70 109 62 3 139 0 2,771 13 5,714 1 527 13 748 0 712 3 739 13 667 3 220 5 324 11 395 14 89 1,322 1,809 191 267 312 262 128 65 139 1 165 15 707 345 1,021 7 25 6 145 0 3,033 12 4,774 0J 526 8 659 14 746 3 689 2 415 13 257 15 447 1 5 8 372 7J 27 5 1,400 1 J 681 12 340 739 15 '382 864 15f 166 14 379 1 54 0 309 590 8 Totals 30,207 99,438 94 34,236 113,332 2J 9,576 23,188 7 10,916 24,998 3 J

District. Letters. Packets. *&£? Ne ™ e - Postage Value of Official Correspondence. Auckland Thames New Plymouth Gisborne Napier Wanganui Wellington Nelson Westport.. Greymouth Hokitika Blenheim Christchurch Timaru Oamaru .. Duneclin Invercargill 274,937 51,167 116,821 19,448 116,984 321,893 944,420 79,222 26,530 75,803 23,936 59,410 325,020 75,491 47,216 338,516 288,730 15,408 3,149 15,200 1,482 9,756 17,616 128,120 6,240 250 3,219 2,610 2,600 19,890 3,200 1,820 40,304 12,324 11,949 1,666 1,800 806 2,208 4,304 32,110 6,062 1,000 1,867 1,582 600 12,250 2,481 1,467 5,328 4,419 67,377 20,762 33,500 11,140 53,836 91,695 130,400 41,496 21,910 39,294 13,936 22,000 109,990 32,000 34,268 188,476 I 71,919 j £ 6,690 1,388 3,028 594 3,307 7,883 22,353 2,407 898 2,174 760* 1,531 8,455 2,047 1,533 10,361 6,829 Totals 983,999 I £82,238 3,185,544 283,188 91,899