HIS MAJESTY’S MAIL

Hokitika Guardian, 15 February 1930, Page 2

HIS MAJESTY’S MAIL

EVOLUTION OF THE POST OFFICE. When controversy, such as has been raised between two schools of thought on the question .of State control as against private enterprise, becomes keen one naturally turns back to the beginning of things in order to discover the why and wherefor of certain developments. Frequently the search, commenced in a spirit of inquiry, becomes an en'grossingly interesting recreation. Such must be the case with all who seriously set out to learn the inner history of the State control of the postal arrangements of Great Britain. Beginning with the story of King John’s messengers, who carried his despatches and ,business documents to and from, the court, one discovers that the first postmaster-general was officially appointed in 1512, at a salary of £66 13s 4d, he being a certain Sir Brian Take, and his postal arrangements were such as would create a first-class correspondence protest in

“The Times” to-day. He ran four .services only, one to Scotland, one to Ireland, one to Dover' and one to Plymouth. These were slow and unreliable, the postmen’s wages were low and often, unpaid, and there were frequent intervals of six or eight weeks when the post was not in operation at all. Of course, under such conditions, few people who had important business to communicate thought it wise to trust his Majesty's mails. In 1591 the Government claimed a monopoly in the conveyance of letters, but restricted the operation thereof to the foreign and Continental mails. The real reason for the establishment of this monopoly was to allow the Government of the day to gain full access to all correspondence. In the reign of Charles I. committees were set up in both Houses of Parliament to open and read all (otters coming in and going out by the Continental mail. Naturally, this load to trouble and a company of peers was sept, to the -Court, of Venice to apologise for the interference of the Government with ambassadorial correspondence.

Even the great apostle of liberty. Oliver Cromwell, to whom we owe the establishment of a general post office stated that the great advantage which would follow the m vement would be the checking of dangerous

and wicked designs against the wel fare of the nation. It is clear tha

the post office, as we know it to-day, really originated as a sort of “Dora.” Like all repressive legislation, this procedure brought about a speedy and drastic reaction, -and when Charles 11 came to the throne a royal proclanuitioil declared that no letter should he opened, except under the express warrant of a Secretary of State, This proclamation was given -statutory force in 1711 and remainl-

in force to this day in the Pest Offi Act,