The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “The West Coast Times.” TUESDAY, MARCH 29th, 1921.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 March 1921, Page 2

The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “The West Coast Times.” TUESDAY, MARCH 29th, 1921.

SOUTHERN MAIL SERVICE. Tin. Postmaster-General has vetoed again the extension ot the twice-weekly mail service liom liari Mari to Wailio Gorge for all the tear round. This appears to us lo be an injustice primarily to tiie growing southern district ami secondly to Westland as a whole. Tile first reason for a refusal advanced by the Hon Minister is that the present contract does not permit of the extended service (except in tile Tourist season) and the second reason is given that the service is run at considerable loss. Turning up the appropriations we find that the total amount provided for the conveyance ot inland mails for the whole Dominion is £159,000, and of this amount 12,000 is the estimated charge for the Hokitika inland mails. This is less than one and a quarter per cent ot the total appropriation, so that tho demands lor tile district in relation to the Dominion service is very moderate indeed. When the length of service required lor mails in Westland is taken into account, we should say that the Postal Department has the cheapest service in New Zealand for its Westland county mail services. As regards the particular service ill question, it is notable that during the “tourist season,” the Department supplies the extended service, but for the pioneer settlers who are in the back-blocks all the year round, there is not the same concession as for the holiday-makers from the centres. The settlement in the south is certainly increasing, and the volume of traffic has grown in consequence—the request for the twice-weekly mail is therefore a legitimate one and there is reason to expect it to lie satisfied. It is worth recalling also that the Postmaster-Gen-eral is likewise Minister of Public Works, and if the former could induce the latter to push on with the construction of the bridges so desirable between Mali Hari and Wailio Gorge, the Postal Department could make a large saving in its mail contracts, or better still give a tri-weekly service for less cost than is at present being incurred. In view of this service to the public—including the well-catered for “tourists” —Mr Coates as PostmasterGeneral should prevail on Mr Coates as Minister of Public W orks to rush the erection of bridges without further protracted delay. The Minister mentions the service at present is run at considerable loss. AYo wonder how many postal services are showing considerable profit? The Minister lias been experimenting in aerial mail seiviees, and we wonder whether theii loss does not transend the southern service many times over. We suggest that the question of profit and loss should bo guaged, not by an isolated service to meet the requirements of the

hack-blocks, but by a comparison over the whole postal district. In fact an even broader comparison should he made for the whole Dominion derives a benefit more or less from the general postal service, just as the most isolated part of New Zealand, served hv mail, lias its interest in the costly oversea mail services. It is not fair therefore to pick upon an isolated service and suggest it should lie curtailed and settlement inconvenienced, just because it docs not in the opinion of the officials “pay.” It is something payable to the country to have its waste places occupied, and without postal facilities New Zealand is not going to Imild up a rural population. The case for the . southern service is therefore a strong one, and we hope the local bodies will make a further apnea! on the matter. There is one other respect in which Westland is being penalised in regard to postal service, and that, is by having ! to subsidise the motor mail service to ; end from Otirn. When a rich district t like Canterbury lately ran motors to , supply malls to the remote places, the I Government WO9 prevailed upon to d°-

fray the cost. In Westland where we lack alike the influence and opulence of Canterbury, the people if they want tho special convenience of getting their mail matter within a reasonable time, instead of allowing it to stand fifteen hours at Greymouth while en route, when only 24 miles away, the publicspirited people of Westland have to provide an amount of subsidy to keep the convenient motor service goiflg. And all this, despite tho increased postal charges. The people of this district therefore have genuine complaints in regard to postal services.