MINISTERS AND THE TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 6 July 1901, Page 4

MINISTERS AND THE TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT.

Abused Privileges

The Manawatu “Standard,” edited by Mr If. Pirani, points out that the general public have no conception of (he extent to which tho privilege of using the telegraph and postal services by tho Government und its officials without charge has been abused of late years in New Zealand. It was well within the mark to estimate the value of telegrams called “memos” sent by or on behalf of members of the Ministry at £IO,OOO a year, while the total value of Government telegrams is not far short of £BO,OOO a year. If the privilege of sending tho;e telegrams free wore abolished, and every one had to bo paid for when it was despatched, and those on the public service brought to account, a very great economy would inevitably be the result. In this connection it is interesting to notice that in the Federal Post and Telegraph Bill just introduced in the Commonwealth Parliament, it is proposed to abolish these privileges in Australia. Mr Scott, the acting principal secretary to the Postmaster-General, very properly remarks that franking privileges are always abused, the system is also subversive of economy. No check being placed on Government officials; they avail themselves of the service of the posts and telegraphs to an unwarrantable extent. When tho Federal Bill comes into force it is certain that there will he a considerable diminution in the volume of official documents sent through the post, and in the number of official messages sent across the telegraph lines. On the justice of charging the State departments for service rendered, Mr Scott points out that the Post and Telegraph Department has to pay the railways of each State for the conveyance of mails, and the principle is the same in both cases.