The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 437, 28 September 1880, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28.

Some time ago we drew attention to what we then styled a " rough and ready system" of attempting to equalise revenue and expenditure in the Telegraph Department by imposing an additional sixpence on* messages despatched to and from certain stations, of which Akaroa is one. We pointed out then that the proposal was vicious in the extreme,thr.t it was beginning at the wrong end, that in the case of Akaroa the equalisation could have been made by amalgam <tion of offices and consequent reduction of expenditure, instead of by increased lates, and that it was highly probable that the latter would result in a lessened revenue. The whole project was ill conceived, and betrayed a great want of administrative ability, but, bad as the affair was in its inception, it has now assumed a far worse aspect. Many objections might then have been urged agahist it. It was unequal ; it was applied by a sort of rule of thumb ; it was likely to fail in its intended object. But it appeared to be administered at least impartially, if not judiciously. Every locality whore the revenue was less than the expenditure was to suffer equally. In some of the offices included in the black list the deficiency was only a fraction of a penny per message ; in others it amounted to three or four shillings ; yet all were placed under the same penalty. As we before remarked, though not attempting scientific accuracy, the Government did appear to desire to act fairly all round.

Now, however, all this is changed. Since the session closed a very considerable number of stations have been exempted from the additional charge. In looking over the list of favored localities, we can discover no principle underlying the selection, unless indeed a principle which we should be loth to believe possible —viz., a desire to reward political support or punish contumacy in opposition. To take a few instances at random, we find that Carterton, Feathcrston, and Grey town—three stations in the Wairarapa,—are on the list; so also are Ilurunui and Oxford, in the County of Ashley, as also Geraldine and Temuka in the electorate of Geraldine, and Southbridge. Akaroa, however, is still subject to the sixpenny penalty. Now, for the piinciple apparently guiding these changes. It cannot be that those offices mos* nearly approaching equality between expenditure and receipts have been picked out. If that were the case, Akaroa would have been one of the first to be placed on the oM footing, for the deficiency here only amounted to £28 or 2d per message, while at some of the favored stations —Temuka, for instance —the deficiency equalled, if it did not exceed, the revenue. It cannot be on account of more economical management having been introduced for the stations in question, are most of them managed—Post and Telegraph combined—by a youngster wno has just learned telegraphy, and a small boy ? While here in Akaroa wo have a fullfledged, experienced postal officer to sell stamps and give out letters, and superintend anot-er perfectly competent and experienced telegraph operator. Besides we doubt very much whether the ten per cent, reduction which has been iuflicto

on these officers lias not been enough of itself to equalise revenue and expenditure. There remains only one conceivable hypothesis which can have guided the Telegraph Commissioner in this selection. It appears almost impossible to conceive of a Government which has so eloquently denounced the corruptions and iniquities of a Grey and a Sheehan, but how else to account for this choice than by supposing the satisfactory conduct or otherwise of Representatives to have had to do with the treatment of localities, we cannot imagine. At any rate, the Wairarapa is represented by Messrs Beetham and Bunny, -who have religiously voted with Ministers. Hurunui and Oxford are in the electorate represented by Mr Moorhouse, another staunch supporter, while Geraldine and Temuka reap the benefit of the vote and influence of Mr Wakefield. We were nearly forgetting Southbridge, but this is the constituency of the Hon John Hall himself, and what would-be the use of having a premier for a representative, if he could not arrange a trifling matter like this, make amends for Grey's slighting remark about " country bumpkins " ? We certainly think the people of Akaroa should take this matter in hand at once, and urge upon the Government the gross injustice, under which they are suffering, by being compelled to pay this additional impost, while so many other places, with far less claims, have had it remitted.