PENNY POSTAGE.

Evening Post, Volume LV, Issue 101, 30 April 1898, Page 2

PENNY POSTAGE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir— Now that our great colonial financier can boast of a huge surplus, and as he says money is no object, do you think he can be induced to introduce the penny colonial postage ? The great Wizard made a great flourish over this a few years back, but, lo ! it was not given effect to— couldn't spare the revenue— and Mr. Seddon told the country that it would only have benefited those well able to pay the old rate. Does the right -hon. gentleman consider that the masses have no need of a postage at all ? I believe he "would deprive them of that privilege if he dared. Can you, sir, see any reason in the fact that a letter to, say, Kaiwarra costs as much as one does to the most distant part of Australia, and only a halfpenny less than is needed to send one to our Old Country? Will you kindly let us know what you think about it? Statesmen, as a rule, when blessed with a surplus, generally find some way to ease the burden of taxation ; but the men* running this colony grab every penny they can from the people, whose interest they have so much at heart, don't you know. Note please the remark of one of their valuators iv the Assessment Court the other day. He must have got the cue to pile it" on, and his " boss " will no doubt see him suitably rewarded. Will nothing move those who will see no wrong in Seddonism ? Trusting you will find space for these few remarks, I am, &c, E.B. Wellington, 22ud April, 1898.