Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/488

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THE BRITISH EMPIRE : — NEW ZEALAND

Postal statistics-

Posts and Telegraphs. -Articles posted and delivered : —

Years

Letters and

Post

Books,

News- j Parcels papers Parcels

Money Orders

Letter-cards

Cards

&c.

Nos.

No.

No.

No.

No. No.

Issued Paid

1914

233,901,320

10,585,042

65,709,908

43,779.983 ' 5,055,147

691,518

579,087

1916

242,121.361

8,133,69"

48,868,537

41,807,999 j 6,085,103

669,355

567,058

1917

245,796,945

7,549,867

44 934,218

40,366,792 1 6,314,875

642,683

554,370

1918

242,527,369

7,145,6"6

42,301,230

35,476,212, 6,376,469

638,560

551,764

1919

247,143,183

7,292,922

44,320,385

35,498,263 i 6,193,475

690,291

594,940

Receipts of Post and Telegraph Department for year ended March 31, 1920, 2,176,9952.; working expenses, 1,944,1612. The officials numbered 10,797 on March 31, 1920.

The telegraph system is Governmental. On March 31, 1920, there were 13,722 miles of line and 50,751 of wire. Number of telegrams despatched during the year, 15,074,067. The telephone (Governmental) is very generally used. The telegraph and telephone revenue for the year 1919-20 was 1,038,5062.

Money and Credit.

There were, in December, 1918, six banks of issue doing business. Two of these were wholly New Zealand institutions, having a paid-up capital of 2,500,0002., besides which the Bank of New Zealand has 529,9882. of 4 per cent, guaranteed stock. The total average liabilities for 1919, in respect of New Zealand transactions, were 57,861,3932., and the average assets 48,615,2092. The average amount on deposit was 50,489 ,4442. The value of the notes in circulation in June, 1920, was 7,926,4242. Gold has almost entirely disappeared from circulation.

There are the post-office savings-bank and 5 private saviDgs banks. The former had, December 31, 1919, 794 branches ; the latter have not more than one or two branches each ; number of depositors, 726,555 ; amount deposited, 33,067,0762. ; amount withdrawn, 28,944,2652. ; amount on deposit at end of 1919, 41,951,0252.

Attached to New Zealand are the following islands :

Auckland Islands, 50° 31' S., 166° 19' E., 200 miles S. of Stewart Island. Area of largest about 330 square miles. Uninhabited. The New Zealand Government maintains a depot of provisions and clothing for the use of shipwrecked mariners on the largest island of the group.

Chatham Islands, 43° 50' S., 177° W., 536 miles E. of New Zealand. Area 375 square miles ; population (October, 1916) 477 (219 Europeans and 258 Maoris and Morioris).

The Cook and other South Pacific Islands were annexed to New Zealand in June, 1901. They lie between 8° and 23° S. lat. ,157° and 170° W. long. The names of the islands with their populations (1916) are as follows:-

Population

Population

Rarotonga

. 3,064

Penrhyn (Tongareva)

326

Maugaia.

. 1,245

Manahiki

493

Atiu

759

Rakaanga

295

Aitutaki.

. 1,302

Danger (Pukapuka).

474

Mauke (Parry Is.)

490

Suwarrow

112

Mitiaro.

237

Native soldiers in Mfep

/

Hervey Islands

23

Niue (Savage Is.)

. 3,880

Total

12,797

Palmerston Is.

90