POST OFFICE ECONOMIES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 12, 15 January 1910, Page 4

POST OFFICE ECONOMIES.

One of the most interesting and suggestive papers laid before Parliament during the recent session is the report of Mr. D. Robertson, the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department, on the methods of carrying on postal, telegraph, and telephone business in Europe and America. It embodies the results of his observations and investigations during a recent trip, in the course of which he visited the mo&t important 1 offices in Europe, the United States, and Canada. More than one cas9 has occurred where New Zealanders, after a world tour, have been able only to report that they had nowhere met with methods surpassing or even equalling our own in any department of policy or administration, and had therefore seen nothing to suggest possible improvements either in system or appliances. Such a conclusion usually indicates a particular habit of mmd — political rather than practical ; and is never found in the case of the working head of a department, who, making it a point to keep pace with che i times, is ever alert to examine any de- j vice likely to promote efficiency and economy in the work of the office under his control. Some of the more striking points in this report were noted in our columns when it was first laid before Parliament, but its interest was by no means exhausted in \he brief extracts made at the time. Mr. Robertson acknowledges tne uniform courtesy with which was received, not only by heads of departments, but by the officer^ of private companies, and the freedom with which their knowledge and experience were placed at his disposal. New Zealand, he found, was widely and favourably known for the efficiency of its postal service ; but in. nearly every large ~ centre he seems to have noticed one or more details, sometimes apparently trivial, which an inexperienced man might have overlooked altogether, but which, to the practised eye, suggested possible improvements in our own methods. It is not to be inferred that our departmental methods as a, whole compared unfavourably with those of the great cities visited*-; in many points they suited our needs better than those in use abroad ; but, by noting in what manner superfluous checks and unnecessary book-keeping had been eliminated, and simplified methods introduced, as well as seeing in operation the best and latest labour-saving appliances, the Secretary thinks he sees his way to effect a saving in the working of the department of approximately £10,000 per annum. One of the fiist things to etrike the reader is the simplicity of the reforms by which the more conspicuous economies may be effected. The "backstamping" by which the course of a letter may be traced from office to office-^-appropriate enough in more' primitive and leisurely days — is now pretty generally abandoned. It prevents letters being dealt with in bulk, and causes great delay. Its abolition, besides the saving of time, will save £1000 a year in money. The substitution of a recent invention — lead-seals for the objectionable wax — will save" £900 a year, but the equipment will cost £1500 at the outset. Our parcel-post has hitherto followed too closely the British model, adapted to different conditions. In Germany, as with us, the railways,, are under State control, and there is bettei 1 co-ordination. It is' proposed to adopt tne German system in its main featmes, and save £1000 a Yqar, By inUowitiff American simpli-

fications, £400 a year may be saved in handling registered letters, and £200 in dead letters ; and the single item of abolishing the separate envelope for telegrams — a change for some time in contemplation — i# is estimated will effect an economy of £3500 a year. In the matter of office buildings, little improvement is required. Our system of the open counter is preferable to the wicket system (like a railway ticketoffice) in use in many countries. Neither in Europe nor America did the enquirer find a system of postmarking better than ours ; but in sorting-cases, and automatic appliances for conveying mails from one part of the office to another he gathered some valuable suggestions. Altogether, the report is one that strikes the reader as thoroughly practical, and the substantial saving in administration will be appreciated by the taxpayer. The reduction of staff which some of these innovations represent will not be welcome to the officials concerned; but the / Secretary anticipates that the constant growth of the department will in most cases provide opportunities of reinstatement for those displaced.