INCREASED REVENUE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 811, 8 March 1910, Page 3

INCREASED REVENUE.

Auckead, March 6

Some interesting comparisons and statements in regard to the business of the Post and Telegraph Departments were made by the Prime Minister and PostmasterGeneral (Sir Joseph Ward) to a Herald representative in the course of an interview at Te Aroha on Saturday. In dealing with the revenue of the Department for the first ten months of the current financial year, ended January 31, Sir Joseph said that the results were exceedingly satisfactory. The revenue for the ten months was ,£769,657, as compared with ,£7x3,585 for the corresponding period of the previous year. The postal revenue proper had increased by 8.80 per cent., and for nearly the whole of this increase the penny post was responsible. On the telegraph side also the revenue had advanced by 6.59, the largest share of the increase being produced by the telephone division.

He hoped, he said, to end this mouth with a total post and telegraph revenue for the financial year of ,£960,000, which would be considerably in excess of his estimate.

In speaking of the extensive reduction in the rate of money order and postal note commission made a couple of years ago, Sir Joseph said that the wisdom of the step was proved by the fact that the loss in revenue was being rapidly recouped by the large increase of business. As an evidence of the progress of the Department, he mentioned that the revenue had more than doubted In ten years, it having risen during that period from £445,340 to £920,021, and this despite the great reductions in tales that had taken place during that period.

The business of the Post Office Saviugs Banks lhad also shown a great increase, the amount to the credit of depositors at the end of last year being £12,666,892, which showed an increase of over half a million for a year.

Turning to the future, Sir Joseph stated that extensive economies that had been rendered possible by improved methods of working, and the introduction of the most modern appliances, were being carried out, and these, he hoped, would enable him to announce further concessions to the patrons of the Department. Those just now under consideration, he said, were mainly directed to the improvement of the services in country districts, such as a reduction in parcel rates, and an increase in the weight of parcels, the inauguration of rural postal deliveries, with the ultimate object of getting a delivery at the door of every farmhouse in the country, and a greater extension of telephone facilities in remote country districts. He hoped to be able to provide for most of these out of the savings referred to, and he thought that no one would grudge the additional facilities to country settlers, even it the proposed innovations did not at first pay their way.

Another new departure in the country districts would be the introduction of the “ Home Savings Banks.” These took the form of steel boxes, which were lent to depositors as receptacles for their savings, but which could be opened only at post offices where the amounts contained in the boxes were credited to the depositors. The Waikato would be the first country district to which the Home Savings Bank would be supplied, aud it was hoped to have them in working order in that district within a couple of months.

The Prime Minister said that he was very pleased to say that the revenue from income tax was also showing an encouraging increase. The amount received for the present financial year up till the middle of February was £307,391. The estimate of £300,000 for the year was thus already exceeded, and it was calculated that the revenue for the whole year would closely approximate last year’s collection of £321,044, notwithstanding the comparative depression that existed during the year ended March 31, 1909, on the income returns, of which period the current year’s assessments had been based.