THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 1882. POST-OFFICE, TELEGRAPH, AND INSURANCE DEPARTMENTS.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2419, 6 January 1882, Page 2

THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 1882. POST-OFFICE, TELEGRAPH, AND INSURANCE DEPARTMENTS.

It is useful at times to compare our institutions with those existing in the Old Country. We see by this means where we are hehind-hand, and where we have improved on the rate of progress observable in England. In Mr. Fawcett the Home Government possess a Minister whose energy is proverbial, and who is always on the look for methods which will enlarge the usefulness of the department. At a recent speech at Hackney the Postmaster-General laid before his hearers a synopsis of the work dona of late in the Post Office, Telegraph and Insurance Departments, and a brief consideration of what he said will bo of considerable interest. Taking insurance first, it may broadly be said that the English Department does not compare at all favorably with the Hew Zealand one. Here Government insurance is carried on in a strictly commercial spirit, and the success of the venture has been ample and marked, as proved by the information laid before the House during last session. But in England insurers are not sought after in the manner they are hero, and the consequence is that the department does not flourish. The insurance canvasser has apparently become a necessity in the present order of things. Persons will not insure in nine cases out of ten unless they are partially driven into the operation. Insuring oneself is an affair that it is considered may be put off day after day, and unless a man is about to he married|or to rush into some other equally hazardous undertaking he requires the spur of an insurance canvasser to bring him to the post. It is no wonder then that in the English Government Insurance Department, where this is not recognised, the business does not flourish. But with regard to the Post Office Department proper, Mr. Fawcett’s great activity is abundantly manifested. The late improvement introduced whereby deposits in the Post Office Savings Banks can bo made through the medium of postage stamps has been an unmitigated success. The number of depositors

has increased very largely through the introduction of this system. During the eleven months it has been in operation the new accounts opened numbered 434,000, as contrasted with only 93,000 in the corresponding period of the previous year. Then there is the scheme of enabling small instalments to be made in Government Stock through the Savings Banks. During the eleven months this plan has been in operation no less a sum than £832,000 has been thus invested, while only £64,000 has been sold out. It is evident that this is very satisfactory, not only from economical, but from political considerations. The formation of a numerous class bound up intimately in the commercial transactions of the country — a class corresponding to the small rentiers of France—has long been a dream of English Statesmen. No surer safeguard against wild socialistic projects could bo brought into play than the constitution of a body of small fund-holders, who would naturally watch with the extremest interest the state of the English funds and all that appertained to their rise or fall. Then again, Mr. Fawcett was able to point with pride to the success of the

system of postal notes which are now being issued at the rate of four millions a year, and are doing much good work in providing the poor classes with the means of remitting small sums. The issue of orders for Is is at the rate of £400,000 a year. But the Postmaster-General is not at all inclined to lie on his oars. He looks forward hopefully to the establishment of a parcel post, such as is in force in Continental States. This improvement ho considers would be second to none that has been introduced since the creation of the penny post. Of course there are difficulties in England that are not met with aboroad. The railway lines are not under Government control, and their consent is a vital point in the success of

any such scheme. Finally, we come to the Telegraph Department, and here Mr. Fawcett is full also of plans. The cheapening of rates for telegrams is one of them, as is also the development of the system of transmission by pneumatic tubes in the case of largo towns. Indeed there seems no bounds to the “go ” of the PostmasterGeneral, who appears determined to make his mark in his Department. New Zealand statesman may study with advantage his schemes, elaborated as they are with the greatest care. The sole department of the three of which we are treating, in which this country is ahead of England in the Government Insurance Department, and even there, if we take the Life Annuity scheme, we shall find that both are much on a par. Take, for instance, the Government Endowments and Annuities tables; could any more ridiculous scheme be possible framed? Would any sane man ever think of investing money in this way ? The Annuity Branch in England has proved a practical failure : in New Zealand its working has amounted to an absolute fiasco. MB, PHABAZTN’S CASE.

The case of personation against the Hon. C. J. Pharazyn, to which we drew attention at some length the other day, has been duly tried before the Supreme Court and the jury, as will be seen by a telegram in this issue, have returned a verdict which is looked upon as an acquittal by the person accused. The Chief Justice and counsel for the prosecution think differently, however, and the question has been reserved for the Court of Appeal. The jury has, without doubt, absolved Mr. Pharazyn of all dishonest intent, but the question is whether dishonest intent alone constitutes the crime. It appears hard, but still it is a fact that the 27th clause of the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act lays it down that a person shall be deemed guilty of the offence of personation who, having voted once at any election, applies at the same election for a voting paper in his own name. There is no talk here of intent; the offence is committed by the very act. However, this is an extreme view to take of the matter, and it is yet to be seen if the Appeal Court will adopt it. The punishment for personation is imprisonment for two years, with or without hard labour, without the option of a fine.