F—.l

XIII

Dead Lbttees. The following comparative tahle shows the number of unclaimed letters, letter-cards, and post-cards dealt with during the under-mentioned years :—

The proportion of dead or unclaimed letters, letter-cards, and post-cards to the total number dealt with in the colony was 034 per cent., as against 0-28 per cent, in 1899. 23,735 book-packets and circulars were returned to foreign countries. 61,045 were returned to senders through the Dead-letter Office ; 38,514 were returned by Chief Postmasters : a total of 123,294 book-packets and circulars, as compared with 113,343 in 1899. 382 letters were wrongly addressed; 25 letters were discovered to have been posted with previously used stamps ; 1,840 unclaimed registered letters were dealt with. 2,256 newspapers and 1,352 books and other articles without addresses were received, many of which were subsequently applied for and delivered. 798 newspapers were returned to the publishers. 472 letters and 149 letter-cards were posted without addresses. 10 letters with libellous addresses were intercepted. The under-mentioned articles of value were found in letters opened in the Dead-letter Office, and returned to senders where practicable :— £ s. d. 299 post-office orders ... ... ... ... ... 715 10 10£ 40 bank drafts ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,289 6 6 220 cheques ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,617 3 10 10 dividend warrants and bonus certificates ... ... ... 414 6 promissory notes ... ... ... ... 231 18 9 Postal notes ... ... ... ... ... ... 78 3 11 Stamps ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 21 9 4| Bank-notes ... ... ... ... 179 0 0 • Gold ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 32 10 0 Silver and copper ... ... ... ... ... 5 2 10 Representing a total of ... ... £4,174 7 5 In addition, 2 gold watches, 6 silver watches, 1 silver watch and chain, 1 ladies' watch, 3 Waterbury watches, 1 metal watch, 1 metal watch and chain, 1 gold watch-chain, 1 silver watchchain, 10 gold rings, 3 ladies' gold rings, 2 silver rings, 3 gold brooches, 3 silver brooches, 2 greenstone brooches, 2 gold-mounted greenstone pendants, 1 silver-mounted greenstone pendant, 2 greenstone pendants, 1 piece greenstone, 1 silver saltspoon with greenstone handle, 1 pair silvermounted greenstone carver rests, 3 pairs gold sleeve-links, 2 gold shirt-studs, 2 gold scarf-pins, 1 gold medal, 1 gold nugget, 1 small bottle of gold, 1 pair gold-rimmed eye-glasses, 1 silver-mounted card-case, 1 silver-mounted pocket-book, 2 dollar certificates, 1 Transvaal shilling, 1 Canadian fivecent piece, 1 ladies' belt-clasp, 1 ornamental paper-knife and pen, 7 pawn-tickets, 27 share-certi-ficates, 14 collectors' approval sheets of obliterated postage-stamps, 2 packets of obliterated postagestamps, 1 steerage-ticket of U.S.S. Company (Wellington to Lyttelton), 1 order on Shaw, Saville and Albion Company for ticket, 1 passage ticket from Port Said to Brisbane, 1 coach-ticket, tramtickets, 1 Christchurch Exhibition medal, 1 dogs-head handle for walking-stick, 1 revolver. The number of inland, intercolonial, and international articles received and disposed of during the years 1899 and 1900 was as under :—

Manner of Disposal. 1884. 1885. 3886. 1887. 1888. 1889. I 1890. 1894. 189G. j 1898. i 1899. 1900. •pened and returned to the writers teturned unopened to other countries leissued >estroyed Returned unopened by Chief Postmasters 68,942 9,134 66,592 j 8,115 66,729 8,359 62,847 7,287 55,118 6,892 62,654 60,5401 61,745 6,220 7,779! 8,941 92 141! 130 4,340 2,660i 4,725 21,164 21,931' 22,042 63,112 68,872 7,546 8,899 148 i 219 4,069 '. 3,368 26,414 33,273 74,132 9,706 76,692 9,707 107 3,986, j 17,593; 185 2,872 I 19,187 251 6,600 21,144 96 5,974j 20.185 1 ; 88' i 5,246j 19,963; 178; 4,536; 22,915i 265 4,900 40,282 I 96,951 103,083 96,389 ! Totals 99,762 87,307 94,470 93,051; 97,583 101,289 J 114,631 111,467 131,846 i

1899. 1900. Letters. Letter- Post- p . -, cards, cards. a( -Kets. News- Tpt - t Letter- Post- p . . Newspapers, setters. cards cards. * acket3 ' papers. Inland. Returned, delivered, &c, through Deadletter Office Returned by Chief Postmasters direct .. Destroyed in accordance with law 60,332 20,334 3,682 1,946 119 2,594; 2,581 158! 48,704 40,686 1,211 770 62,751 36,660i 3,987 2,085 I l,704J 3,622' 108i 59,258 38,514! 1,453| 798 31,130 142 I [38 ', 394 Intercolonial. Originally addressed to other colonies:— Returned to writers Destroyed in accordance with law .. Returned to other colonies as unclaimed 4,041 242 4,298 ■ • S3 11 25 1,228 75 4,998 4,249 270 ! 4,025! 91 6 26 789 48 5,814j 12 39 International. Originally addressed to other countries :— Returned to writers Destroyed in accordance with law .. Returned to other countries as unclaimed 5,206 316 5,331 108 8, 31 677 32 17,050 5,949 379 5,529 128 8 35 998 47 17,921 9 "53 Totals 103,78: 2,086; 5,599 114,661 31,901 123,799 2,319 5,728 124,842 39,192