POLITICAL NOTES

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17808, 6 July 1923, Page 8

POLITICAL NOTES

; (special to "t:hb psbss.") * WELLINGTON, July 5. Postal Packets. In Christchurch yesterday reference was made in the Police Court to the theft of postal .packages. The rupori of the Post'and Telegraph Department deals with tho question as follows: During 1922 there were 5799 enquiries made for postal packets alleged to have been posted and not delivered. In 3008 of the enquires—more than half of the total number—the investigations made by the Department resulted in the missing articles being traced or accounted for. Theso ease 3 may be summarised as follows: — Number of traced cases. Result. 765 ' Sender responsible for delay. 871 Addressee responsible for delay. 327 Post Office responsible for delay. 1135 No delay, or responsibility not fixed. Included in the above figures were a large number of enquiries for packets allegedly containing valuable enclosures, and allegedly posted unregistered. The New Zealand postal administration is not singular in having to contend with the trouble caused by members of the public placing banknotes and other valuable enclosures in unregistered letters. The same trouble is experienced in other countrios, and it is one that is very far-reaching in its effects, apart from tho time and effort spent by the Departmental officials in endeavouring to -clear up such cases. When it is alleged that an unregistered letter containing money hs.B failed to reach its destination, there is the suspicion that inevitably attaches to every person through whoso hands the packet would hayo passe 1. This suspicion necessarily begins at the point where the person alleges he posted the letter, follows through the staffs of the Post Offices at which the letter would be handled, and ends with the person who denies having received the packet. Much of this trouble and suspicion would be avoided if the pubHi; would take advantage of the facilities afforded for the transmission of money, either by means of a. postal money order, or by registering the letter containing the remittance. Postage Stamps.

The annual report of the Post ami Telegraph. Department states that, in April, 1922, 6d stamps of the King George series were placed on sal© in succession to those of the King Edward series. Tlio stock of the latter became exhausted towards the end of the year. The stock of the Id "Victory" stamps, which had been overprinted in March, 1922, for use as 2d stamp 3, was exhausted in May. Tho stocks of the Id and lid denominations of "Victory" stamps were exhausted in October. No denominations of "Victory" stamps now remain on sale. In August, 1922, 8d "official" stamps of the King George series (colour, redbrown) were, placed on sale in succession to those of the King Edward series. The stock of the latter is practically exhausted. By June, 1922, stocks had become exhausted of all denominations of the Cook Islands stamps issued in 1902, bearing the portrait of Queen Makea Takau, and pasturing the bird Torea or Wry-neck." In February, 1923, New Zealand fiscal stamps of the denominations 2s 6d, lOd, and £l, were over-printed "Nine."/ Halfpenny stamps in coib of 240, and Id stamps in coils of 480 were, in August, (1922, placed on sale at the Post Offices at Auckland, Christchurch', Dunedin, and Wellington. In addition to the value of the stamps, a charge is made of 2d for the smaller coil, and 4d for the larger- one. Tha coils are for use in stamp-affixing machines.

Private Mail Bags. A regulation has been made providing that not more than one family may use the same private mail bag. Previously several families could combine in hiring a bag, paying only one :?ee, and this provision was freely availed of, to the detriment of the :revcnue. The new regulation expressly provides that correspondence for or from guests of the hirer of a bag, his employees, and the families of the employees may be enclosed in the bag. The regulation regarding the use .of private mail bags now agrees with the regulations relating to the use of rural delivery boxes and private letter boxes. Bills in Legislative Council. In the Legislative Council to-day the Chattels Transfer Act Amendment Bill was read a first and second time, and referred to the Statutes Eevision Committee. Sir Francis Bell gavo notice to introduce the British Nationality and Status' of Aliens (in Now Zealand) Bill. Tho Council adjourneol until Tuesday. League of Nations. In the Legislative Council this afternoon the Hon. W. H. Triggs gave notice of his intention to ask the Government whether they will lay before Parliament any reports they may have from the ' High Commissioner and the Hon. Sir Francis Beli regarding, the meetings of the League of Nations in which they tpok part. No-Oonfldence Motions. In a leading article to-day, the Liberal morning newspaper here (the "N.Z. Times") voices the very general feeling existing in the Dominion, when it says:—"One thing U certain: tho public of this country will not stand any more no-confidence motions. No-confidence is the outlet for all grievances—certainly the only outlet permitted by the rule of Parliamentary procedure—but it happens that the outlet has been used as fully as the most determined idealist of Parliamentary reform could desire. There was a full-dress no-confidence debate in the short session held earlv ia the year for the express purpose "of settling the question of the Government's position. That was a debate of several issues, taken .one after another, but on all the issues the Government won by a small margin, of course, bat the fact remains that it won. During the present session there was another fulldress no-confidence debate, with a far greater number of issues than were offered in the short session, but the Government remained undisturbed, with its backing of a very meagre majority. The whole questions has thus been raked over There is absolutely nothing left that can be used for supporting a motion of no-confidenee. To star* another no-confidence attack under the circumstances might be pleasing to many members who spend their time and the public time in detailing t>« various verbal traps, laid successfully and otherwise, for the Government, but tne time has surelycome when the public can demand an end of no-confid-ence motions."

(Ooatdaued at foot of next coluxan.)

State Advances Act, 'wsßt? Tho proposed am*ada«sij>- j flfflßN State Advances Act will *Sr*jf|| mH* tho day tfco Gmrerß<w>€StewwSjj| ||fiPjf to the Bill is received. I** 0& HB|i_ telegraphed yesterday tit* tW&I BraC?! meats will not ci>a* iatfr Sout& Ssiasd Express Sara** j||Bf* Mr dc Is PerreSe, aadih I g^^^yaa does not justify tie ireMasi^a^^ and'lnver«urgßL Ti * mer-t during tie last not i>eca jaaiatais«4, »a* beeu a considerable revt-nue sine* April I**, * s iug train servicer sonable reqeiresieats " The traffic'is bsiaf: e and I stall fee gW t» meats in the fwili«« **JgHIHI th«» circaautaaee* jsaaxy I,*iBlHH