UNNECESSARY SECRECY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 5, 31 December 1912, Page 4

UNNECESSARY SECRECY.

I So one especially cares to advertise Failure, but it is a fact that much information, which one might reasonab’y

think the Stratford public has a right to know, cannot be placed before it for the reason that a very strict ob-j servance of the “rules and regula-1 tions” is practised by local Government officials. For instance, a reporter, who hinted that information concerning the Christmas mails, and a comparison with the work done in previous years, would be very acceptable, was met with the reply that Stratford

being only a brahch office (New Ply-, mouth is the head of the postal district), the Postmaster could not divulge any of the business done by the Stratford office. This may be very well, but “down the line,” the ‘Eltham Argus’ tells its readers: “Mr. F. H. Barnard, Postmaster, informs us that the work dealt with during Christmas week was, if anything, heavier than last year. The last weekly return, taken in November, showed that the following were received during the seven days :—Letters 7489, postcards

320, newspapers 1608, parcels 123; while the following were posted:— Letters 5893, postcards 113, newspapers 696, parcels 1380. Some idea of the Christmas work can be obtained when it is known that it was a little over double this amount, while in the telegraphic department 917 messages were forwarded, 933 received, and 393 transmitted for other stations.” Can it be that the Stratford G.P.O. has received special instructions from the authorities not to communicate to the

Press any details concerning the large increases in business, lest the demands for a new Post Office, to cope with this increase, should become too insistent P And the railway; Our Stationmaster, whose courtesy' is proverbial, pointed out to a representative of “The Stratford Evening Post” find the regulations forbade intercourse with reporters, but he promised to in terview headquarters on the matter. Here is the kind of “copy” with which the Stationmaster at Eltham “rushes’ the local scribe: “The Christmas returns for the Eltham railway station are not available, but for the last fourweekly period 3115 passengers’ tickets were issued, the revenue being £4Ol 14s Id. By the traffic department 57f parcels were handled, 4 horses, 4_oarriages, and 36 dogs, luggage £3 14s 8d total £65 9s 9d. The goods departmen 1 dealt with 640 tpns of merchandise 854 tons of grain, and 190 tons of min , erals ; also, 80 cattle, 16 calves, 128 sheep, arid 369 pigs, the total revenue for this department being £1713 12t 7d, the total revenue for the station being £2lßl 16s 6d, an increase of £359 8s 9d over the corresponding period of last year.” Ideal copy, these, are the class of news items that reflect prosperity and would “boost” our town. "We are notufraid thatithe. local figures would in any way disgrace us; on the other hand, we know that such figures in the hands of our local bodies, and in particular the Chamber of Commerce, would materially as sist them in obtaining for Stratford those commercial facilities for whic! increased prosperity has created a legi timate demand. But it is regrettable that such information as we indicate is not more readily available.