The Evening Mail. FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 728, 9 August 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 1878.

Bklow will be fount! the upshot of the request of Mr. Oko. Sorrrßii and a number of other representative citizens of the town asking that tiie Telegraph Office here should be kept open between the hours of f» and 7 o'clock, during which period it has hem "the custom to close it. In making the request, the gentlemen who signed the requisition were doubtless enconraged by the circumstance that in all this large centres of population it has been found necessary to concede this point in order to further the commercial interests of the colony. May not Clamant be now viewed as a sufficiently populous and important commercial centre to he treated with the consideration extended to those other cities of the colony. There is no objection upon principle, at least so it would appear from the communication of the General Manager of Telegraphs. It is merely a question of expense. The cost would entail an additional drain upon the exchequer of LISO per annum, for which reason " the Commissioner regrets he is unable at present to give effect to your

wishes." Wellington, Aug, 5, ISJS. In further retVrence to your communication of the 2b*th ult., and my reply tli re to of the 2nd insr, I am now directed by tin Hon. the Telegraph Commissioner, to inform you that at- present he cannot his way clear to extend the hours now in foieu. T comply with your request ivouid incur an increased expenditure of LI SO per annum : the Commissioner reports he is unable at present to givj effect to your wishes. I have, &c, C- Lemon, I General Manag-r. !—Perhaps we under-estimate the v.iiurof money; but LIBO seems to us ai. exceedingly paltry obstacle to stand in the u.-tv of a compliance with huc'i :• request. We are surprised that the idea of suggesting raising a subscription amongst the population of Oamaru to defray the enormous additional expense did not dawn upon the mind ( -r the Commissioner of Telegraphs. How nic it would have been to have been told that the Government would have not the feast objection to ucc.'ititig t<> the request provided the people paid the expense out of their own pockets, and it would en ible the fJoverniuent to ii>ercam; the elticency and usefulness of i ; k- Telegraph Department without incurring an " included expenditure." Ir is so d.-iiijitful to be reminded that, being sous of Britain, we are free to expend our own money as we please, and we therefore regret that tinproposal to meet the 'litiiculty in the manner suggested by us was imt made, as we might have considered it.