Stereotype Branch.

The number of stereotype plates cast last year was 1,783; of electrotypes, 3,493; and 91lb of leads of various sizes were cast for office use The number of rubber stamps manufactured for Government departments was 2,147. The above figures all shew a considerable advance on those for the previous year.

Among the electrotypes are included six plates of Samoan postage stamps, and four of Tongan, each plate containing 120 stamps; also, two plates of New Zealand postagestamps, each containing 240 stamps, and two plates of post-cards.

The railway-ticket printing executed by this branch during the year shows a steady increase. The numbers were: Railway tickets, 2,805,616; season tickets, 13,202; flag-station tickets, 353,400; luggage tickets, 67,300; parcels tickets, 35,500; weighbridge tickets, 19,800. The printing of the railway tickets required 13,432 separate alterations, being an average of one alteration to every 208 tickets.