F.—l.

The proportion of dead or unclaimed letters, letter-cards, and post-cards to the total number dealt with in the colony was 0-31 per cent., as against 0-31 per cent, in 1901. 37,072 book-packets and circulars were returned to foreign countries ; 36,591 were returned to senders through the Dead-letter Office ; 54,664 were returned by Chief Postmasters : a total of 128,327 book-packets and circulars, as compared with 106,868 in 1901. 686 letters were wrongly addressed; 21 letters were discovered to have been posted with previously used stamps ; 2,973 unclaimed registered letters were dealt with. 2,313 newspapers and 1,375 books and other articles without addresses were received, many of which were subsequently applied for and delivered. 1,613 newspapers were returned to the publishers. 622 letters and 134 letter-cards were posted without addresses. 14 letters with libellous addresses were intercepted. The undermentioned articles of value were found in letters opened in the Dead-letter Office, and returned to senders where practicable : — £ s. A. 954 post-office orders ... ... ... ... ... 1,091 14 7 59 bank drafts ... ... ... ... ... ...5,320 19 3 318 cheques ... ... ... ... ... ... 2,207 14 9 18 dividend warrants ... ... ... ... ... 27 11 8 10 promissory notes ... ... ... ... ... 273 3 0 Postal notes ' ... ... ... ... ... ... 244 17 4 Stamps ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 38 6 4-| Bank-notes ... ... ... ... ... ... 358 0 0 Gold ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 33 10 0 Silver and copper ... ... ... ... ... ... 6 17 5 Eepresenting a total of ... ... £9,602 14 4^ Included in the above list of articles of value, the following items related to letters addressed to " Tattersall," which were returned from Hobart, Tasmania, in accordance with the lottery laws now in force throughout the Commonwealth of Australia : — £ s. d. 623 post-office orders • ... ... ... ... ... 406 0 2 8 bank drafts ... .:. ... ... ... ... .25 7 -0 15 cheques ... ... ... ... ... ... 27 1 0 Postal notes ... ... ... ... ... ... 14119 4 Stamps ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 11 19 11 Bank-notes ... ... ... ... ... ... 148 0 0 Gold ... ... ... ... ... 6 10 0 . Silver and copper ... ... ... .. 050 Total ... ... ... ... £767 2 5 In addition, 1 ladies' gold watch, 2 ladies' gold keyless watches and chains, 1 ladies' rolledgold watch and chain, 1 ladies' silver watch, 1 ladies' silver watch and chain, 1 gold watch, 6 silver watches, 5 silver keyless watches, 2 silver keyless watches and chains, 1 metal watch and chain, 1 keyless metal watch, 1 wrist watch, 7 gold rings, 1 silver ring, 1 metal ring, 3 gold brooches, 13 gold-mounted brooches, 3 gold-mounted greenstone brooches, 1 gold-plated brooch, 5 brooches, 1 silver brooch, 6 gold-mounted ear-rings, 1 gold nugget scarf-pin, 3 gold scarf-pins, 1 gold scarfpin with opal, 2 greenstone pendants, 2 gold-mounted greenstone pendants, 1 gold-mounted greenstone maltese cross, 1 pair of gold sleeve-links, 1 set of studs, 5 silver spoons, 3 silver medals, 1 gold bracelet, 1 rolled-gold bangle, 1 gold trinket, 2 small pieces of gold, 1 boar's tusk, 1 pair pince-nez, 1 pair of silver scissors, 4 metal tie-pins, 1 purse, 1 ladies' blouse, 3 pawn tickets, 28 share certificates, 4 sheets foreign stamps, 3 packets foreign stamps, 1 white silk handkerchief and scapula, 254 Tattersall's lottery tickets, 5 steamer tickets (1 San Francisco to Auckland, 1 Melbourne to Bluff steerage, 1 Sydney to Dunedin steerage, 1 Thames to Auckland saloon, 1 Lyttelton to Wellington steerage), and 1 order for third-class passage from London to Bluff were dealt with. The number of inland, intercolonial, and international articles received and disposed of during the years 1901 and 1902 was as under : —

iii—F. 1.

XVII

1901. 1902. otters. ™£ £& Packets. *«£. Letter , Letter- Post- Packets . New Inland. Returned, delivered, &c, through Deadletter Office Returned by Chief Postmasters direct .. Destroyed in accordance with law 88,115 40,909 4,746 1,726 118 1,360 3,614 86 34,215 46,456 9,139 1,951 42,736 100,699 49,986 5,061 2,225 114 l,035j 4,2991 160; 35,245 54,664 1,348 1,613 31 ] 596 Australian. Originally addressed to other States :— Returned to writers Destroyed in accordance with law .. Returned to other States as unclaimed 5,475 291 4,969 91 10 32 556 34 3,959 7,143 386 5,948 259 14 249 662| 671 4,851 '*48 International. Originally addressed to other countries :— Returned to writers Destroyed in accordance with law .. Returned to other countries as unclaimed 8,272 439 7,091 109 15 44 963 45 20,719 9,156 496 7,874 332 18 330 684 85 32,221 "278 536 "67 Totals 160,307 1,959 5,361 116,086 44,687 186,749 2,339 6,696 129,8271 J34,023