ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 762, 3 August 1853, Page 3

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the New-Zkat.axi>er.

Sir —I am one among the many immigrants who have landed on your shores in the course of 1853. Adopting this as my new homei I wish it, as a matter of course, beside its own peculiar advantages, to ailord us (as far as it is able) those of the noble country of Britain which I left. Now, one of the great advantages of that land (to its poor more especially) is the unrivalled excellence of its postoffic* arrangements, Of your general postal arrangements, perhaps anotherday ; but now I would particularly call attention to the facilities which an Imperial Money-Order Office would afford. I am a poor man, and, for causes to myself best known, wish to remit small sums to London, and, consequently, to any part of the British islands. I somehow fancy that there are many in whom « northern sun now shines with rays t! at act with fecu 1difying effects on their material means, that have little reminiscences of friends, and others, to whom post-office orders might be very acceptable, But let that be as it will, there are many among the labouring class who would be glad of the means of remitting small sums to their relations in Britain. —But your post office gives no facility. I may be answered—Why, if the post office will not, the Bank will remit money for you. This is no sufficient reply; for, in the first place, how is a poor working man, like myself, for instance, to stand all the searching interrogatories of bankers' clerks (even if possessed of moral courage enough to enter the doors) and all about so trivial a matter as four or five pounds. But if there are these objections at this end, how is the case at the other? A poor man, we may suppose, dons muster courage and'address enough to remit fivepounds to his old parents in the west of Cumberland or in the north of Norfolk —in either case, far removed from the seats of any banking firms, or even from their branches. The poor old people have possibly never once in their lives entered within the money-dispensing doors of any banking house —a place held in solemn awe by us poor labourer?. They have a long journey to make to the bank even at the best, and some vexation and trouble o get at the money, and possibly the prospect of 1 his vexation may deter relatives or even credi-

tors from making any much-desired remittance at all. How different all this from the proceedings of the reidy-money order office, tin oiigh which, in the home islands of the .empire, so many millions are every year paid and received, and no dispute, no trouble worth even naming ever incurred. In this method of remission the payer merely names the payee and the place of his or her residence, hands over the sum to be remitted, together with three-pence, if it be under £2, and sixpence if it be between that sum and five pounds. In the country, the party in whose favour it is made, is usually, or at least very frequently, known at the office in the adjoining market town, and the name of th.3 recipient being signed, the money is at once ] ail. Cannot a system of this kind be established between the colony of New Zealand or its different members (if dislocated it must be) and the mother country. Surely it would have a tendency to strengthen in some degree the bonds of love and good feeling between the mother and child. To the latter (speaking nationally not naturally) of the utmost importance, yet for many many decades or centuries of years to come. Might not our new General Assembly, or our Provincial Councils with advantage give attention to this matter. If it be said that the present premium paid is not sufficient, why, double it—and still further increase the amount that may be remitted to ten pounds, and make the premium for remittances one shilling from five pounds to ten. I am, Sir, not only a sincere well-wisher to everything strengthening the union between Great Britain and New Zealand, but also yours, K. Auckland, Ist August.