Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1889. THE POST OFFICE.

Manawatu Herald, 8 October 1889, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1889. THE POST OFFICE.

The most satisfactory of the Government departments in New Zealand is undoubtedly the Post Office, and as it is constantly en'arging. its sphere of usefulness, it naturally arises that further improvements in its working are easily to be suggested. There is, in the method of delivery of the mails at a post office much which s£ill retains an air of the old fashioned waste of time that might with advantage to the public and the department be improved. A. crowd of people stand arouud a window waiting their turn to enquire of a s nart cl rk if there happens to be a letter for them. The time of that young man is worth something, and as he is probably a telegraphist as well, there are many things he could be employed upon instead of this increasing daily hunt for letters. In cases of non-residents the old systenv is unavoidable; but if his work was reduced by. the drawing > ff of; the regular enquirers, a very large gain would be made. It is in tliese cases where we think the department ar.e exercising " a shilling wise and^pounfi'f Polish " 'policy. 'To business men the post office says, '• we know you want your mails "in a hurry, therefore you need a box, and we vrill make you pay for it, you mu»t pay a pound a ymv for it,"

and. they db. Hut encouragement is therein this? the fitting up of these letter boxes cannot in the fir t Instarice have cost arty thing like ft ptiiiiid eReh 1 , yei the' rental is fixed, n.t a pound a year ! Nti dn&j e'xcep'ifc the energetic business man takes one, bufr would not the case be different if the sum was reduced ? We hold that the time each holder of a box saves the department by not needing to enquire from their clerk if a letter has arrived for him is a very distinct saving, and instead of c lusing him to be heavily iaxqd should secure his having the box at a nominal fee, after he has paid his first lent of one pound. In the poM; office in this town about llalf the boxes are unused, owing to the excessive charge, but such an alteration would cause all to be taken up. The department would gain even if they gave the use of the boxes free, but by our proposal we secure that not only their initial cost shall be defrayed, but that the first renter shall be treated as though the box was put up for his benefit- solely. We have noticed the desire of the department to meet the wishes of the public, so we trust this suggestion will meet with their favourable consideration.