F.—l.

Average number of deposits per day, 1901 ... ... ... ... 1,244 1902 1,344 Increase per cent. ... ... ... ... ... ... 8-04 Average number of withdrawals per day, 1901 ... ... ... 810 1902 894 Increase per cent. ... ... ... ... ... ... 10-37 Average daily amount deposited, L901 ... ... ... £15,070 2s. 4d. „ ' 1902 ... ... ... £16,567 7s. 8d. Average daily amount withdrawn, 1901 ... ... ...£13,824 3s. 2d. 1902 £15,388 2s. 10d. Postal Notes. The postal-note business, as in former years, continues to show a considerable increase. The following offices were created postal-note offices during the year ended 31st March, 1903 : - Ahuroa. Halswell. Morere. Tβ Kiri. Anuanu. Huiakama. Niuo. Towai. Aramoho. Jackson's. Penrhyn Island. Turua. Birehfield. Kiripaka. Rarotonga. Uruti Road. Clifden. Koputarua. Rough Ridge. Waipara. Plat Greek. Lichfield Street. Springston. Whakapara. Garston. Mangamahoe. St. John's. Greatford. Matahuru. Tariki. Total opened, 30; 5 closed—namely, Anuanu, Cheltenham, Hastwell's, Porootarao, Tahekeroa. The number of offices at which postal notes were sold at the end of the financial year was 575, as compared with 550 on the 31st March, 1902. 616,264 notes of the value of £191,904 13s. were sold, as against 556,316 for £173,317 5s. sold during the previous year. The postal notes paid numbered 610,464, of the value of £190,374 14s. 6d., as compared with 552,878, of the value of £172,522 15s. 6d., paid during 1901-2. The postal-note commission amounted to £4,195 17s. 10d., as against £3,790 15s. lid. TBLEGEAPHS. The total value of the telegraph and telephone business for the year ended the 31st March last, including miscellaneous telegraph receipts and Government telegrams, was £248,934 19s. 4d., as compared with £234,984 2s. 2d. for the previous year—an increase of £13,950 17s. 2d., or 5-94 per cent. The following is a comparison of the traffic in paid telegrams during the last eight years :— Number. Value. 1895-96 ... 1,899,632 ... ... ... £92,289 1896-97 ... 2,285,001 Increase, 20-29 per cent. ... 97,453 Increase, 5-60 per cent. 1897-98 ... 2,469,415 „ 8-07 „ ... 96,537 Decrease, 0-94 1898-99 ... 2,717,548 „ 10-05 „ ... 101,104 Increase, 4-73 1899-00 ... 3,159,093 „ 16-25 „ ... 114,383 „ 13-13 1900-1 ... 3,534,444 „ 11-88 „ ... 126,382 „ 10-49 1901-2 ... 3,850,391 „ 8-94 „ ... 141,581 „ 12-03 1902-3 ... 4,271,218 „ 10-93 „ ... 153,338 „ 8-30 Telegbaph Business. Table showing the number of telegrams forwarded, and the revenue derived therefrom, during the four quarters of the financial years 1901-2 and 1902-3 respectively : —

The telegraph receipts for the financial year, including telephone-exchange subscriptions, private-wire rents, &c, amounted to £222,494 16s. 6d., compared with £207,476 4s. Bd. in 1901-2 —an increase of £15,018 lis. 10d., or 7-24 per cent.

XIX

Quarter. Year ended Year ended 31st March, 31st March, 1902. 1903. Number of Telegrams forwarded. Increase per Cent. R 1901-2. Revenue, tevenue e, 1902-3. ID -w 2 a Cβ © — So June quarter September quarter December quarter March quarter ... 951,480 1,007,506 874,759 I 979,372 980,310 1,131,682 1,043,842 11,152,658 £ a. 5-89 34,983 9 11-96 32,333 13 15-44 35,773 9 10-42 38,490 10 d. 5 2 9 3 £ s. a. 36,643 5 9 35,387 4 5 40,436 4 11J 40,871 8 1J 4-75 9-44 13-03 6-18 3,850,391 4,271,218 10-93 141,581 2 7 153,338 3 3 8-30