A POSTAL ABUSE.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 2, 14 January 1867, Page 3

A POSTAL ABUSE.

Frequently we have been tempted to call attention to a general practice carried; on in the Post Office department of the Colonial Government; and the recent imposition of the new fates of postage affords ah eligible-op-portunity-for so .doing. We fdlude to the obliteration of all stamps that, in mistake or otherwise, are affixed to letters; and parcels / passing through the post, in. excess, of the postal dues. It is well enough known that when a letter, &c., is insufficiently stamped, provided . only .that ft bears a single rate of postage, it i 3 forwarded, and the perspn receiving it is charged the deficient postage, together with a fine to pay (we suppose) for its collection. This is all right enough, and no one would complain 4 or have a right to do so, on this account. . But while the Government charges a ; fine fot- deficient postage,—it-bas no right to appropriate an excess. . This .is of especial moment at. the present'time, when much uncertainty .prevails, .especially in the outlying districts, as to the actual rates required; and an excess is/very,frequently affixed to .suchfkters, which excess is as effectually: obliterated by the Post Office officials as ig the

r / our. attention was called to thir matter by an instance in point, in * which a note, weighing but, a few * grains, was'posted a short'distance;; from town" incthis Province, 1 and the -’ Writer, hot wishing to tax his cofres-. r pondent, and having heard something ; about a threepenny; rate being itr force—and further, being unable to refer at once to a list: of rates—af- . fixed an extra, stamp to the note in ' addition to that required, which J stanip was (as is usual) obliterated in •' the Post Office. Certainly this was jbut a trifle, and of itself pot worth the mention, but the principle involved is the same, however large or however small the amount, and we are sure that the sum falling to the Treasury of the Government from the obliteration of stamps affixed to letters; in excess of their proper rates, would/ if it could be known, be no trifle at the end of a year. t