ENGLAND’S POSTAL REVENUE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 8, Issue 451, 13 September 1866, Page 2

ENGLAND’S POSTAL REVENUE.

[From tlxe Hawks's Bay Times, 23rd August.] Amongst the many remarkable, and, to some extent, unexpected results of liberal principles in political economy, none is more striking than those obtained from the working out of the postal reforms of the past quarter of a century in the mother country. A reform, entered upon with misgivings and carried out step by step, each advance has shown the wisdom of the liberal ideas of its projector, and at present it stands a monument of immense magnitude in testimony of the soundness of the principles upon which these successive reforms have been made. With much pleasure we give our readers this morning an essay from the (Loudon) ‘ Times ’ on the results of the latest progressive movement in the management of the postal system, the multiplication of receiving boxes, and of local deliveries in great centres of population. We are not informed how many deliveries per diem are now made in any particular district, hut it is clearly shown that as facilities are multiplied for rapid h eal correspondence, they are availed of, and a truly wonderful amount of this correspondence has been called into existence entirely in consequence of the facilities offered. But great as are the advantages conferred upon the public by these facilities, they would be unprofitable to the nation if they cost more than they produced. This, however, is so far from being the case, that every additional box or pillar, and every additional delivery, brings additional profit to the postal revenue, so that in these districts (to quote the ‘Times’) “half the business of every day life is conducted through the Post Office. A stamped envelope is made to do the duty of an errand boy or a messenger,” and we warrant it is found in thousands of cases both more economical and less annoying to the sender. “It saves many a visit and many a walk. The commonest orders for the commonest matters are now conveyed’ through this channel, and the result is an incredible multiplication of letters.” We do not doubt it. Who would take a man or boy from his employment to despatch him ever so short a distance when a single penny stamp would ensure the due performance of the work ? The result of the inauguration of the system—for as yet it is but begun—is the absolute increase of the gross postal receipts at the rate of £300,000 a-year—an increase that itself, is rapidly and progressively increasing in a still increasing ratio, and when it be developed by the extension of the system to all the principal centres of population in the United Kingdom, there is not the slightest room for doubling the estimate of the Post-master-General that it will produce its surplus of five or six millions per annum. Here is a study for the political economist, and one that we recommend to the serious attention of the fiaancialists of the Colony. To their disgrace be it said most of the centres of population in the Colony are altogether without any delivery of letters whatever. People who receive but few letters, and seldom apply for them at the Post Offices, are kept without their letters often for weeks and months. It has happened often to such people that seeing their name in the advertised list cf unclaimed letters—at the best published only once in three months —

was the first intimation of there being a letter for them : and even this slight chance lias of late been unjustly taken away; so that we have no hesitation in saying that hundreds of letters now go to the dead letter office that, under a more enlightened and liberal system would reach their destination in due course. Thus, under the pretence of a paltry economy of a few pounds per annum, the whole Colony is put to most serious inconvenience, and in many—very many—instances untold loss is sustained by individual members of the community. It is high time to commence a radical reformation in this department. Its now niggardly management must give place to one conducted on a more liberal and far-sighted plan. Home experience has proved that it is capable of being made a prolific source of revenue, and this just in proportion as it is fostered and developed. Up to the present time the service has been kept in rear of public need instead of in advance of it, and by consequence it has swallowed up the revenue instead of increasing it. By a judicious introduction pi a system of receiving pillars and postal deliveries in the cities and towns of the colony, we feel sure that the cost of the service can be more than met; and that a balance can be derived from local development more than sufficient to cover the extra cost of the suburban and rural services. A better illustration of the need of a reform and of its working could not be desired than might be afforded by our own town of Napier. We have here two centres of population, separated by a distance of something like two miles. Only those who are subject to the necessity of frequent communication between the port and the town can speak of the valuable time, expense, and trouble occasioned by it. A moment’s thought will demonstrate that much of this communication could be carried on by correspondence through the Post Office, only that there is no delivery of letters, and in consequence no transacting of the most simple matters of urgent business, without the trouble and inconvenience of a personal journey, or the despatching of a special messenger. If the local service at home “ saves many a visit and many a walk,” as it unquestionably must, much more so would it (in proportion) do so here. We sincerely trust that the Government of New Zealand will not fail to take a lesson from the report of the Postmaster-General of the United Kingdom, which the late mail has brought to light, and bestow the benefits to be derived from home experience upon this outlying branch of the British people.