RURAL MAIL DELIVERY.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 November 1921, Page 7

RURAL MAIL DELIVERY.

PROTEST AT THE GHARGES. CLIFTON COUNTY DISCUSSION. The rural mail service system was discussed at the monthly meeting of the Clifton County Council yesterday. The Woodville County Council wrote asking for the council’s support and cooperation in pressing the following resolution:—“That this council, on behalf of the settlers of the County of Woodville protests against the imposition of a rural delivery fee by the PostmasterGeneral, it being, in their opinion, a form of indirect taxation applied to country settlers who are at a very great disadvantage, as compared with to town dwellers, so far as postal facilities are concerned. They are also of opinion that, if more revenue is desired from this service ix should be imposed, by means of postal rates, and we urge upon the Government to withdraw such intended rural delivery fee.”

It was pointed out that the proposed rural delivery fee takes effect on January 1, 1922, and public meetings held in the Woodville* County were of unanimous opinion that the fee should be strongly opposed. Cr. H. Foreman said the people in the country should get every facility. The townpeople had. their delivery twice a day. and it seemed hard that the country people had to ride miles to get their mail. Cr. F. C. Jones thought that if they wanted rural delivery they should be prepared to pay for it. Mr. R. Mounsey suggested that the private bag system would be the best, if the cost were reasonable. Mr. Foreman asked why the country people should be charged £2 per year to have their letters delivered three times a week, whilst letters were delivered twice daily in the towns for notin'ng. The chairman (Mr. R. IT. Piggott) said that they were crying out for (he Government to economise, and if the settlers wanted economy they could not expect the Government to pay more money in instituting a better mail delivery.

It was decided that the letter should be received, an amendment by Mr. Foreman that the council should suppint Ihi resolution lapsing for want of a seconder.