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123
consequence of the increasing work of the Department to
augment the Staff by the appointment of nine junior clerks.
The Department during 1905 dealt with some 38,000 more
mail bags and packets and some 40,000 more registered
articles and parcels than in the previous year.
4.
In November, 1904, I instructed
the Postmaster-General to submit to me a monthly return of
complaints made to him by the public regarding the loss of
letters and matters of a similar nature. The complaints
thus received during the whole year amounted to 145 (in-
-cluding 10 in the Registration Department). This is not
a very large number especially taking into consideration
that many were found on enquiry not be justified.
*.
The administration of the Post
office has, I think, benefited by the Postmaster-General
having been able to devote his whole time to it since he
ceased to occupy the position of Treasurer on the return of
Mr. A. M. Thomson from leave on 20th. October, 1905.
I have the honour to be,
My Lord,
Your Lordship's most obedient,
humble servant,
Mr. Fathan
Governor,&c. .