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This deed provided for the setting-up of a Board of Administration and for a voluntary contribution by each employee of 9d. each fortnightly pay-day, the subscription to be deducted from salary or wages. That the extended scheme was welcomed by the Service is indicated by the fact that by the 31st March, 1946, there Were 10,000 contributing members providing an annual income of over £9,000. The Board of Administration comprises : (1) The Director-General of the Department (Chairman) : (2) Two departmental members appointed by the Director-General: (3) Two members appointed by the Post and Telegraph Employees' Association and Officers' Guild (Inc.). For the purposes of administration, twenty-four local or district committees have been formed throughout the Dominion. The objects of the Post Office Welfare Trust are outlined in the deed as follows : (a) The provision of comforts for sick and wounded servicemen who are employees , of the Post and Telegraph Department and for all other employees of the Department who are laid aside by illness : {b) The affording of change of air and environment to any contributor who has been seriously ill: {c) The provision of domestic help in homes where there are children of a contributor whose wife has been laid aside by illness, childbirth, or for convalescence, or where an invalid' child" requires care : (d) The provision of assistance for the support of the children of a deceased contributor : (e) The acquisition, establishing, subsidizing, support, maintenance, and management of guesthouses where contributors may convalesce after illness or with their families spend a period of leave at reasonable cost. The Board of Administration proceeded as quickly as possible with the provision of completely furnished welfare cottages and flats at various holiday resorts throughout New Zealand, and with the letting of them to welfare-fund contributors at low rentals. At the 3'lst March there were in use ten cottages and flats extending from Russell (North Auckland) to Karitane (Dunedin), and sixty-one families had been accommodated, each for a period of two weeks. It is expected that the holiday accommodation will be increased to eighteen units in the near future with others to follow as circumstances permit. CREATION OF ADDITIONAL POSTAL DISTRICT The number of postal districts in New Zealand was increased to twenty on the Ist September when Whangarei was constituted a chief post-office to control all that portion of the Auckland Postal District lying to the north of the Oruawharo River and of a line running from just north of Te Hana direct to the east coast. One hundred and seventy-four offices, all of which were previously under the control of the Chief Postmaster, Auckland, are now being administered by the Chief Postmaster, Whangarei. WORKSHOPS During the year, work to the value of £357,996 was performed in the various workshops. Of this amount, £46,768 represents the value of services rendered to other •Government Departments. REGISTRATION OF MOTOR-VEHICLES AND ASSOCIATED WORK The number of motor-vehicles licensed in New Zealand at the 31st March, 1946, was 314,510. During the year, new registrations totalled 18,647. Motor-registration fees collected amounted to £529,535. The premiums collected on behalf of the thirtyseven insurance companies authorized to underwrite business in terms of the Motorvehicles Insurance (Third-party Risks) Act, 1928, totalled £328,976. Mileage-tax amounting to £34,853 was collected in respect of 1,016 vehicles.

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