JOTTINGS FROM THE LOBBY

Hokitika Guardian, 14 August 1920, Page 3

JOTTINGS FROM THE LOBBY

(Our Parliamentary Correspondent.) POST AND TELEGRAPH CHARGES. WELLINGTON, August 13. The House reached the Estimates quickly this afternoon, Mr Massey explaining that he was anxious to get a good day’s work done. The Post and Telograph votes came first, and Mr Hoi la iid°(B uller) held up the proceedings for a couple of hours by moving a reduction of £l, as a protest against the

increased Post and Telegraph charges. His argument was that the extra revenue required to pay the increased salaries in the public service should have been obtained through the land and income tax.

The Postmaster General replied that if he had continued the old charges the Department would have had a deficit of a quarter of a million at the end of the financial year. The cost of increases in the salaries of Post and Tclegra-pTi officers was about £300,000 per annum,

and he was adding £260,00,0 fo the revenue by the extra charges on letters, telegrams, telephones etc, so the De partmciit was still £40,000 behind. He considered it would be utterly unreasonable to" require the post office to he subsidised from the Consolidated Fund. It should pay its own way like the Railway Department, Mr Massey and others accused Mr Holland of trying«to make party capital out of the necessary increases. The amendment eventually was rejected by 54 votes to 6. The Postmaster General answering a question said that he believed aerial mail services were worth developing as a means of keeping certain number of airmen and mechanics in training. New Zealand could not afford to be without flying men and so must- find employment for some of them. THE ESTIMATES. WELLINGTON, August 13. The House spent most of the evening discussing telephone especially 'country telephones. City members started the debate by protesting against the increased charges for suburban tele phones. Country members took up their side of the case and contended that country telephones which were often matters of life and death to farmers and families, Were iuore important than &y services. also projesfecl against the increased charges, ' The Postmaster General after a bombardment from all sides, stated that he did not like increases and hoped to he able to amend the scale of charges latoi He was prepared to consider any suggestion for amendment of details but in the meantime he must have increased revenue. "

Mr Massey also assured the House that Government recognised the importance of country telephones and hoped to effect improvements with little delay. Tho votes for the Postal Department were passed after six hours and tho House rose soon afterwards.