The Globe. WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 1874.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 51, 29 July 1874, Page 2

The Globe. WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 1874.

Ijr tho House of Representatives yesterday, Sir J. C. Wilson asked one of those useful questions which he often puts to the Government, and the Premier was compelled in his answer to fall back on the old routine system, and make a very lame reply. Sir J. C. Wilson was anxious to know why the door to the boxes at the Christchurch Post Office was closed on a Sunday, and the Premier replied, that the Post Officials wanted their Sunday holiday. Now we contend that there need be no question of detaining the Post Office officials, or of depriving them of their day of rest, by allowing the door in question to stand open. The boxes are private, and cannot be opened without force, by any one Avho does not possess a key to them, and the number of people who are about on Sunday would probably deter any one from making any attempt to rob the boxes of the letters they might contain ; added to which, there is very little inducement to attempt such a crime as the probable booty would be nothing for which it would be worth while to risk the chance of detection. One of the police force, too, is usually stationed not far away, and altogether, the chances of an attempted abstraction of letters are almost nil. On the other hand', take the question of the convenience that this door being open on Sunday would be to a large portion of the community. Let us suppose a mail to have arrived on Saturday afternoon, and that it is necessary to answer letters brought by it before Monday morning. Tho people who pay for the privilege of possessing a private box, would have their letters

placed in tlicin on the Saturday evening, and those of them who live in the suburbs, would most probably have left town for the night. They, however. would come into Christchurch again, on the Sunday morning to attend service at their respective places of worship, and hearing of the arrival of the mail, would in all probability be anxious to get their letters ; but they cannot do this under the present regulations until the Monday morning, thereby losing the chance of answering what may be important communications in time for the outgoing steamer. This of course is more especially the case with regard to the principals of large firms, to whom the delay of a mail may moan a considerable loss: for the business occasionally happens ,to be of that nature that it cannot be successfully accomplished by means of the telegraph wires. The demand of Sir J. C. Wilson was a very just and moderate one, and we are sure the House will back him up in his attempts at getting the boon required, conceded to the public. The Premier, in his reply, promised that some arrangement should be made, and with this slightly vague promise we must be content for the present, hoping, however, that in the exercise of his powers Mr Vogel will grant us access to the boxes on the day we require it, and that he will not be compelled to deprive any of the officials of the day of rest to which they are, in common with everyone else, entitled.