THE POST OFFICE.

Evening Star, Volume 4245, Issue 4245, 4 October 1876, Page 4

THE POST OFFICE.

The number of letters passing through the Post Office in 1875 was 9,058.456, being an increase of 1,369,396 on the previous year. The number of newspapers was 6,306,692, or 504,585 more than in 1874. The proportion of letters to population is 14-29 per head, which is below the rate in both Victoria and New South Wales, where it is 16-39 and 16 38 respectively. The revenue for the financial year to 30th June last was £94,591 9s, of which only £80,656 9s was actually collected within the period. For the calendar year of 1875 the gross earnings of the department were £136,430 18s 9d. The actual expenditure for the financial year amounted to £139,321 18s 4d, made up as follows :—Conveyance of mails by sea, 1.72,748 8s 3d ; inland mails, £29,779 2s 7d.; salaries’ £32,135 2s Bd. The quantity of franked letters is said to be increasing. In 1874 the value of the postage of th?s description was estimated at £42,223 6s, la‘t year it was £52,047 ’ Bs, of which £2,613 14s 4d only was on Provincial account. During 1875 there were 330 inland mail services in operation, 83 being carried by coach or mail cart, 153 by horse, 20 on foot, 51 by water, and 14 by railway. The total length of these services exceeded 7C30 miles, and the gross distance travelled with mails was 1,464,112 miles, at an average cost of 4|d per mile. The fact has forced itself upon the department that the strict and exact observance of schedule time appears to be considered by many contractors of secondary consideration. The department has always made the most liberal allowance for the difficulties and delays incidental to bad roads and flooded rivers ; but it has become apparent that many of the delays are attributable to other causes, over which contractors or their servants have control. The department has determined to insist upon contractors observing schedule time; and failing this, the penalty clauses will be enforced in every case of needless delay. The Government Lave decided that contracts for inland mail services shall for the future extend over two years, instead of one, as is the general rule at present. By accepting tenders for two years the department will be relieved of a considerable amount of labor, while it is considered the change will tend to encourage greater competition than there has been hitherto.