A POSTAL MUDDLE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13871, 24 October 1910, Page 6

A POSTAL MUDDLE.

The Postal Commission that has been sitting in Australia for the past two years has revealed an extraordinary condition of backwardness, and in some instances chaos. The services have been allowed to fall so far behind the requirements of tho country that it is estimated that an expenditure oi: £2,000,000 will bo necessary to provide for absolute requirements during the next two years. Discontent is rife among the public. In many cases the

equipment rs inadequate or out or date. Employees complain of overwork, improper hours, and sweated wages. Centralisation has atrophied the sense of responsibility of local officers, and the central office itself is declared by the Commission to be inefficient. In tho opinion of the Commission, little administrative ability is to be found in some of the State Deputj'-Postmasters, and in the case of all the high officials, save the Chief Electrical Engineer, "absence of an extensive knowledge of "tho working of the Post and "Telegraphic Departments in other "countries" is noted. The Sydney "Daily Telegraph" puts the case succinctly when it says that

' a commercial concern was created " which has proved too big for the "various managers whom political "chance placed in charge of it." The Commission points out that there have been nine Postmasters-General since the inauguration of the Commonwealth, most of whom have introduced drastic reforms. Continuity of policy, so essential to the maintenance of an efficient and economical service, is impossible under such conditions. The Commission considers that it is impossible for a Minister to obtain even a reasonable grasp of the affairs of such a huge department, and recommends, therefore, tho creation of a Board of Management, consisting of three experts— a general manager, a postal director, and a telegraph and telephone director. The Minister would be the connecting link between the Board and Parliament, and would retain complete control of matters of 'policy. In New Zealand, it may be noted, tho Postmaster-General is also Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Minister of Defence. Minister of Lands, and several other things which we have not space to enumerate,

and gives gravo consideration in nis travels to such trifling matters as a new pillar-bos or a second daily delivery in some suburb. It happens that Sir Joseph. Ward has made a special study of postal affaire, otherwise the consequence, to tho Post and Telegraph service, of this state of things might bo much moro serious than they are. If any privately-owned concern catering for public patronage were managed as tho Commonwealth Postal Department has been managed, there would be a loud cry for Government control. But no private enterprise could have lived so long in such a deplorable condition. Its directors would long ago have been compelled to put matters right, or tho concern would have ended its days in the Bankruptcy Court.