The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 1887. THE POSTAL RATE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1641, 20 August 1887, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 1887. THE POSTAL RATE.

In the good old days, which saw their best some twenty years ago, when " piles " were easily made j when wages were high and every one employed; when, m fact, every commodity sold readily at prices undreamt of now, and yet every one was prosperous, contented, happy \ who would ever have thought of agitat ing for the reduction of the postage rate of sixpence for convoying a letter some fourteen thousand miles? Sixpence indeed ! who cared for sixpence except a few unco careful folks existing down Otago way? Sixpences were as much and more disregarded then than are the smallest coins of the realm now. What a change from then to now ! To 1 those who were here then it would have ! seemed hardly possible that such altered conditions could have arisen m the j brief space of a couple of decades. But .there is no getting over the stern logic of facts, and it is a fact that not only m this colony but also m those of Australia, a postal rate of sixpence to i the Home country, has for the last two or three years been regarded as far too heavy. Correspondence between the Australian and Imperial Governments has been going on for a long time. The result was not at all satisfactory so some of the leading men of Victoria, supported by some of the other colonies, determined to interview the Governments of the continental countries interested m the question, and with a perseverance, combined with tact, which does them infinite credit, these gentlemen have succeeded m obtaining such substantial concessions that the Imperial Government is now willing to agree to a threepenny direct rate. We congratulate the colonists on the boon that is thus assured to them. It may not seem a great matter to the well-to-do people, but by those m straitened circumstances it will be held as a great boon. To business men it will also mean a large saving m petty expenses, the extent of which lew have any idea of. For a time, no doubt, the Government will feel a loss of revenue, but this will be only temporary as the increased correspondence, which the reduction is sure to create, will before long recoup this.