RURAL MAILS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1558, 30 September 1912, Page 8

RURAL MAILS.

THE' CHAEGE FOE PRIVATE BAGS. Replying to the resolution pass;d at the recent Dominion Farmers' Conference, asking that the fee for private mail Ijags should be reduced when the bags are delivered only twice a week, the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department has informed Mr. E. C. Jack, secretary of the conference; that the PostmasterGeneral has decided that no alteration can bo made at present for the following reasons :— "1. Tho special payment... to mail contractors cannot bo withdrawn as intending tenderers for the ensuing trieimium understand that the usual payment wilt lie continued, and will tender on that understanding. No alteration could bo made without the tenderers being given proper notice. "i. The present charge is approximately 9d, per we?k for each bag, which is a moderate one for the service. "3. If the fee were lowered the Department might he called upon to handle a great many additional private bags, whicn would overtax tho existing mail-room accommodation and perhaps render extensions to buildings necessary. "i. Out- cf a total of 110:t private bagholders only five havo during the past year complained of the charge. It. may, therefore, safely be said that there is no general demand for a reduction of the present charge. "It may be added that the charge in tho United Kingdom for private bags delivered by mail contractors is £1 lis. per annum per bag."