MR NEWTON AND THE POST OFFICE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 8, Issue 393, 12 July 1866, Page 2

MR NEWTON AND THE POST OFFICE.

(From tiro Hawke’s Bay Times, ISth June.)

Mu Kewtox has in one respect redeemed the pledge lie gave the electors on the hustings, in that he has mooted a question in which he has not the sympathy of the Government ; and so far shown his independence. True, he has as little of the sympathy of the opposition in his proposal for the removal of the Post Office from its present position. In fact, we may almost assert that he stands “ alone in his glory ” as the advocate of so unwise a measure, for with the exception of a small clique of storekeepers, whose establishments are situated in the neighborhood of the Government Buildings, we arc convinced that the whole body cf the townspeople will regard his proposal as unwise and visionary in the extreme. There is no need for any elaborate argument in proof of the position that the Post Office is already in its best possible situation, —whether the question be for the interests of the Government, the convenience of the mercantile intesrest, the advantage of the establishment itself in ensuring all possible facility in the receipt and despatch of mails, —for all this is plainly to be seen at a glance. The Customs establishment is contiguous to the Post Office, and certainly Her Majesty’s Customs officials have the best right to the most prompt receipt of all communications addressed to that department. The Spit is the centre of the trade of Hawke’s Bay, and a very small minority indeed of the merchants would be found to say one word in favor of a removal; and for the establishment itself, it is quite evident that it should be in a position where ships’ mails could be promptly received and expeditiously despatched, without any of the unnecessary delays that would be occasioned by the carting of mails to any spot distant from the port. Even under the favorable circumstances that now exist, a hitch will occasionally occur, as when from any reason a vessel leaves her berth an hour or two before her advertised time. Such a case did actually occur a short time since, which occasioned the making up of the wails two hours before the time advertised. Had the Post Office been situated away from the port, this mail must have been left behind ; and it is certain that such mishaps would become a thing of frequent occurrence, entailing a vast amount of inconvenience, and often actual loss, to the community at large. Much might also be said on the financial, or economical view of the question. The present establishment has almost recently been erected at considerable expense, and possesses every convenience for the work to be done ; —while the state of the Provincial funds —th» peegssary demands

about to be made on them—and the prospect of a loss of its share of the Customs receipts, —readers the proposal most ili-timed, even if it did promise to confer an advantage instead of inflicting an injury on the town. A mejnber of Council has said, in reply to such an argument, that if the work was shewn to be desirable, the cost would be but as a fleabite to the Provincial chest! But even allowing this, we may ask—Are there not other “ flea-bites ” of real necessity, enough to absorb all that the Province can afford for a long time to come, without expending a large sum upon a scheme of positive mischief to the community ? We had almost resolved to treat so absurd a proposal as the removal of the Post Office as a question not demanding serious opposition, and consequently to refrain from noticing it in our columns ; but we know from experience that much injury is often done to a community by the efforts of a clique, through the neglect or apathy of the parties who are most injured; and in this case we have reason to know that the small party who conceive that they themselves would derive benefit from the removal of the Post Office are exerting themselves to obtain signatures to a memorial for the purpose of effecting their design. Happily, their “ little game ” has been publicly known, and will be met by a counter memorial, so that no fear may be entertained of the result. Were the personal interests of Mr Newton not identified with that of the party who have got up this agitation, we should say that he had acted most unwisely in allowing himself to become an instrument in their hands for the attempting of an impracticable work. As it is, he is but occupying his proper place as leader of the scheme—a scheme that will tell against him should he on a future occasion oiler himself for election, as it lias already caused a goodly number of his supporters to regret their votes.