THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 1908. POSTAL FACILITIES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 75, 27 March 1908, Page 2

THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 1908. POSTAL FACILITIES.

ONE of the most significant signs of progress in any country is the possession of up-to-date and efficient postal services, and New Zealand may feel justly proud at having led the world in the matter of a universal and cheap postage. From our remote position in the Empire the step was in a broad sense necessary, in order to bring us into frequent and general communication with older and bigger countries, and obtain for the mass of our people the benefits accruing from a closer knowledge of the world-moving modern events. Education thus obtained is invaluable, and the value to the people of being acquainted with the latest discoveries and ideas are difficult to overestimate. There are other arguments for and very few against the establishing and maintaining the cheapest" and best possible postal facilities in New Zealand, and it is gratifying to know that the service established has reached a high, standard. Every endeavour is made by the Department to meet the case o! the dweller in lonely places, and only when the progress of a district outstrips departmental, imaginaation, as has been the case locally, are matters allowed to develop into a serious position. We have many claims to make on the various Departments, and not the least important is that of an increase of our country mail services. Settlers in various localities are clamouring for the increase, and rightly so. Sell lenient is expanding in all directions, and the exigencies of a settler's busines demand, emphatically that closer and quicker commuuication with, the business centres shall be established. The farmer's lite is no longer one ot a steady even tenor, the surface of which is unruffled by ordinary business claims. A close touch with markets and business centres is daily becoming more essential to success, and the farmer, in order to work to the best advantage, must be in constant communication with live outside world. No branch of industry is so sensitive !o outside events, and in order to obtain the necessary information upon which to formulate plans, and take advantage of conditions aitecting his business, the farmer nnuq be up-to-date. The natural medium for communication is (lie postal service, and our settlers should lose no time in advocating their cause | in respect to more frequent services. The returns of postal business for the district can readily be obtained, and in common with development in other directions, we confidently hazard the opinion that the increase in this Department will fully warrant ;piy reasonable extension applied for.