THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam out Faciam." SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 1862.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 61, 25 January 1862, Page 2

THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam out Faciam." SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 1862.

In 1838, when the average charge in the United Kingdom of all single letters conveyed through the post was 7£d, the net revpnue derived from the post office was £1,614,354. In 1840, the first year that Rowland Hill's penny postage system was introduced, the net revenue fell to" £410,028, or in other words the new system entailed a loss of £1,204,326. But this loss was cheerfully borne; it was the price paid for the promotion of enlightenment, for the advancement of civilization, for the encouragement of that intercourse between places, and between people, which leads to tbe exchange and increase of knowledge. The experiment was a bold one, but its results have vindicated the judgment and the daring of the man who devised it and of the nation that adopted it. Year by year the revenue has again risen till for 1860, the net return after payment of expenses was £1,102,479. Now let us see the relative work performed by the Post Office the last year of the old system, and the latest year of the new. The number of letters delivered in the United Kingdom in 1839. including the "franks," was 82.471,000, whilst in 1860 it was 564/'OO,OOO. The number of money orders issued in 1830 vihs 188,921, covering an amount of £313,124, whilst in 1858 (we have not the returns for 1860) 6,689,396 were issued, covering a a amount of £12.662,105. Resides thi.-se enormous increases following on the new system. there has to be added the newspaper and book parcel delivery. We have nothing to set down under this head in 1839, but in 1860, 71,000,000 newspapers and 11,700,000 book packets were delivered. The relative amount .of work and the cost for the two years typifying the two systems stand thus: — 1839. 18(50. Increase, ir rttere delivered 82,471,000 561,000,000 481,520000 NoMmivordt^ 188 921 • O.&BVWG 0,300475 AmaSt jE3lß,ia £12 CM, 105 £12348081 Npwsnawra Nil. 71 000,0:0 71,000,000 Sockets Nil 11,700,000 11.700,000 .X'revenue £2,390,763 £&»'& iW* Jfett revenue £1,589,487 £1,102,479 £487,008 - * These are for the year 1858. We have not the money -order- returns for 18C0 by us, but they show ■w increase. - Thus we see tbut whilst the Usefulness o the Post Office has enormously lticreased, J lie

to assert that in a few years, as the system becomes more developed, the revenue will increase till it even amounts to more than that under the old system, and, of course, as the revenue advances, there is a corresponding increase in usefulness. The system may be Minply stated as this, the encouragement of the'increase of correspondence until,-through the increase, the correspondence becomes remunerative. The accommodation of the public and the promotion of the increase of correspondence, the first consideration ; the making it yield a revenue, the second. In pursuance of this policy many of the Mail .Services are carried on at a heavy loss. It is not. generally known, that on each letter between the United Kingdom and the Cape of Good Hope there is a loss of about 9d.; on each letter to the West Indies a loss of about Is; on each letter to the West Coast of Africa, a loss of about Is. Sd.; and on each letter to the United States, via Galway, a loss of about 6s. . .

We only ask New Zealand to adopt a similar Postafpoliey to that of which the Imperial country has set so daring, so brilliant, and so successful an example. The fullest, the freest, postal facilities, that the exigencies of commerce demand, without reference to whether the same may entail a temporary cutaiiinent of the revenue. When speaking "of New Zealand we refer especially to Ofago, because we believe that through that Province the increased facilities will have to flow. Marked out by its position to be the chief postal centre oft lie colony, it is bound to take the initiative in postal reforms. Each of the Provinces is endeavouring to patch up a postal communication suitable to its own wants alone. Otago should show itself equal to its position, and dovise a postal system that will benefit alike the whole colony. It should he its ambition to establish a fortnightly mail to Melbourne on the one side, timed so as to bring the Knglish mail on at the earliest, and return it at the latest date, ard on . the other side it should aspire to establish a weekly mail communication between all the Provinces. Supposing, which we are not prepared to admit, that at first the experiment would not prove remunerative, the advantages that would accrue from it would far more than compensate the cost, even if the whole expense of the subsidies fell on the Province alone, hut which, of course, would not be submitted to for a moment. Otago would become the commercial centre of the colony, the head market to purchase or sell, to which traders would come from every other part of New Zealand and from the neighbouring colonies. And at what cost is this to be secured ? Simply bj' the outlay of a few-thousands for a year, (the contracts need only be taken for that time) with the probability of part, if not all being subscribed for by the other provinces, and with the assurance that the risk of the total loss of the money is as nothing compared with the certain benefits that under any circumstances must follow the making this Pro viuce the postal centre of New Zealand,

On the principle of better late than never, the commissioners appointed (or Otago of the international Exhibition, have at last shown some sign. Although appointed a considerable while ago, we believe they did not even hold a meeting- until Wednesday last, when they assembled at the Superintendent's office, and came to the conclusion to do the best they could under the circumstances of the limited time It ft at their disposal. Dr. Burns was appointed President of the Commission, and Mr. Kettle Honorary Secretary. An intimation was received to the effect that Mr Matthew Holmes, beingabont to visit Europe by the February mail from Melbourne, had expressed his willingness to take charge of any packages entrusted to his care. It was resolved to make such hasty selection as the time permitted, and to entrust them to Mr. Holmes to deliver them to the proper authorities at home.

Amongst the articles which it was decided to procure, were 'samples of Wool, Wheat, Barley, and Oats, specimeus of Gold Dust, to the amount <3f 500 oz., Mineral specimens, Photographic views and any other noticeble production, illustrative of the capabilities of the Province.

It is to be hoped that the activity now dis played will be in proportion to the apathy of the past. Only about ten days or a fortnight are left to collect the various articles, but even in that time, short as it is, much maybe done. Otngo is likely to engage a great deal of attention at home for some time to come, and persons will naturally expect to see it occupy a prominent portion of the space allotted to the New Zealand department. Auckland, Wellington, «nd Nelson have got together, we believe^ a very respectable collection. Those who ieel an interest in OtagO should certainly be averse to its being thrown entirely in the back ground. There is no calculating the permanent injury it might inflict on it. It would be said, "look how little Otago is able to contribute to the World's great Fair." The plea that it had taken no interest in the matter would not be admitted, for every little town or city in the civilised world has been exerting itself to secure a favorable representation at the Great Exhibition of 1862. As we have said much may be done now in the brief time allowed, mid we trust that all persons and classes will exert themselves, in what we may almost term a national object. Anyone possessing a production of the Province which he considers worthy of exhibition should immediately send it into the Commissioners for their approval. The Commission consists of Dr. Burns, President, His Honor the Superintendent, Dr. Purdie, T. B. Gillies, Esq, and (j. 11. Kettle, Esq., Honorary Secretary.