POSTAL PROGRESS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 214, 17 February 1915, Page 5

POSTAL PROGRESS.

CONCESSIONS TO THE PUBLIC MINISTER SAYS POLICY IS WELL MAINTAINED. Christchureh. February 15. Spending at the opening of tlie new post office at Aknroa to-day, the Hon. ft. Heaton Rhodes, Postmaster-fiencral, and member for the district, said .that the department's policy of granting postal and telegraphic concessions to the public whereever justified had been well maintained. Further improvements had been made in the parcel opst service, the benefit of which would doubtless be recognised. The weigh limit of parcels; had been raised to 281b., and the maximum length and breadth combined to 7ft. In eases where offices were served by j railway, coach or steamer, • the charge levied for each additional pound in ex 7 ! cess of 131b had been fixed at the low sum of Id. In addition, an "express! transit" service had been instituted under which, by the payment of a fee if I 6d, assurance could be obtained that thei parcel would be given the same celerity of dispatch as a. letter. Acknowledgment of posting was given free of charge to the sender of each parcel forwarded and a receipt for each parcel delivered was taken from the addressee. The convenience afforded to the public by the use of automatic stamp-vending machines had been recognised by the department. During the year 1914 'eleven additional machines were installed. The total number available for use was now 70. It had bee n decided thatin cases where postage on correspondence amounted to £2O or upwards for one posting a discount of 1J per cent, should in future be allowed to the sender. Up to December Ist, 1014, a charge of 10s had been made to each person sharing in the use of a private bag with the holder of the bag, but on the date inentioned this charge was abolished. It was thought that this concession would prove of great value to residents in country districts. Mr Rhodes referred to what the Postal Department had done for the various patriotic and relief funds in the way of giving special concessions for free transmission and delivery of parcels, etc.,' and paid a tribute to the splendid way in which the whole of the staffs of' the various departments under his charge had worked. He was glad to be able to say that so far as he could see, the Post and Telegraph Department would show a good profit at the end of the year. The public could, of course, get more concession still at the expense of profits, but then if the department did not show a reasonable profit there was an outcry. It was satisfactory to get a, balance on the riilht sid,e when they saw that the Australian department had a. deficit of £OIB.OOO lasty ear. yhereas thev had .eWUKio profit'in New Zealand. This year the. revenue was still greater. The biggest losses in the New eZaland working were on press telegrams ( £00,000), and ordinary sixpenny telegrams ( £22,000). but on the other hand other departments such as the telephone section paid well.