WORK OF THE POST OFFICE.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 July 1926, Page 3

WORK OF THE POST OFFICE.

VARIETY OF TRANSACTIONS.

The Post Office performs a good deal of work for other Departments, and its ramifications generally are described by the Postmaster-General (Hori W. Nosworthy) in his report to the House last week as being distinctly unique*. “ There are few, if any, other Departments of State,” he says, “ that do not at some time or other utilise my Department’s organisation for work quite apart from the handling of mailmatter and telegrams. The principal assistance rendered other Departments is in the collection of revenue and in the disbursement of amounts duo to the public. My Department does not aim at making a profit out of the work. The charge for conducting the various transactions is fixed at a rate calculated merely to meet the cost of carrying out the service. The distribution of the population lias rendered necessary the establishment of over two thousand post offices, of which nearly one thousand are money-order offices. The agencies of the Post Office are thus sufficiently numerous to permit of the efficient conduct of general Government business. In fact, in a young country such as New Zealand it is to conceive a way of handling general Government business better than the way it is handled through the Post Office. A glance at the Department’s periodical internal accounts reveals what a variety of transactions is provided for. In making any addition to the already great variety of transactions simplicity of system is aimed at, so that officers are able, with facility, to pass from one class of transaction to another.”