SERVICES TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS
25. The value of free services rendered to other Government depart- ments showed a further increase in a total of $480,979.20 as against $411,806 for the previous year.
POSTAL SERVICES
to
26. The total number of letters and packets posted and delivered, excluding parcels, registered and
and insured
insured items, amounted 133,254,748. This figure was an increase of 3.7% over the previous year -printed papers being responsible for the major portion of the increase.
27. There was a slight decrease in the number of undelivered letters referred to the Dead Letter Office, the total for the year being 341,452 as against 344,850 recorded in 1956/57. It is hoped that with the development of resettlement and housing estates with properly numbered residences the position will still further improve, although the habit of giving inadequate addresses means that a good deal of time has to be spent in tracing people for whom correspondence is intended. Many letters also find their way to the Dead Letter Office because of the failure of a large number of people to hand in redirection notices to the Post Office when they move from one local address to another or proceed overseas.
28. The absence of letter boxes in a large percentage of dwellings also delays delivery.
SURFACE MAILS
29. The direct mail service to Egypt, which was suspended at the beginning of the year, was resumed on 20th May, 1957.
30. As a result of additional accommodation becoming available during the year direct first and second class surface despatches were formed to the following countries :
Country
Belgium
Holland
Denmark
Germany
Norway
Sweden
Office of Exchange
Brussels Rotterdam C.S. Copenhagen
Hamburg
Oslo Gothenburg
31. Due to lack of space for additional sorting equipment it had previously been necessary to route the correspondence for these
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