OBITUARY

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue LXXXVIII, 10 September 1914, Page 2

OBITUARY

SIR JOHN HENNIKER HEATON POSTAL REFORMER. (By Telegraph,— Press Association.— Copyright.) LONDON, 9th September. The death is announced, at Genoa, of Sir John Henniker Heaton, the advocate of Postal reforms, aged sixty-six. FOR A PENNY. WORLD'S POSTAL RATE. The advice given by Paganini, the great virtuoso, to one of his pupils to "learn to play perfectly on one string" has passed into a proverb (remarked a Sydney journal recently). Its adoption, has proved tho secret of success in tho lives of many men. Sir Henniker Heaton, the apostle of penny postage, admits that it haa been so <n his case. Forty-eight years ago ho arrived in Australia from England, and shortly after betook himself to a station oh tho Darling, with a view to gaining colonial experience. He revelled in his new sur> roundings, and merged in his general contentment with his lot, was in genuine sympathy with his fellow-workers — the shepherds, stockmen, and boundary riders. It was in this environment that he conceived the germ-thought of which the great scheme of universal penny postage was the outcome. Evidently there was something about him which invited, the confidences of others, and many of the station hands, assured of a sympathetic hearing, came to dißcuss with him the latest news' received by them from England. It was the l'ealisa» tion of how much these letters from thes Old Land meant to the recipients — voluntary exiles though they _, were;— which created a desire in the young jackeroo to achieve for himself such a position aa would enable him to increase the facilities for correspondence of this kind. Describing the condition of things which existed when he first came to Australia, Sir Henniker pointed out that tho necessity for paying sixpence on every letter sent was, perhaps, not so great a hardship to those in Australia, 1 But it was an awful burden to the old folk in England, whoso circumstances compelled them to look at every penny they spent. At that time the would-be Postal reformer was not able to translate his desires into anything like definite action j but, later on, when he entered the realm of journalism, the possibility of his achieving something was brought nearer. It was in 1885 that the postal reformer started on the warpath in real earnest, that being the year in which lie was first returned as member for Canterbury in the, House of Commons. A few days after taking his seat he called attention to the fact that the postage from Ger* many, France, and other foreign coun» tries to the Australian colonies was half of what it was from England. But it rt'as not Until early in' the following year that his first opportunity for useful action came. Having won the first place in the ballot he rose in his place, on 30th March, and moved the following resolution: "That in the opinion of this House the time has arrived for the Government of the country to open negotiations with other Governments, with a view to the establishment of a Universal Internationa] Penny Postage Svetem." The motion was bitterly opposea by representatives of the Government, who quoted figures prepared by the officials _, showing the "appalling losses" to be expected of tlie peni'ty' post 'was" established. Tlia,fc > motion, "'whibli ' was (_( _ defeated on division, was the first shot in a long and strenuous fight. From that moment Mi*. Hennikev Heaton, in season and out of season, kept up his agitation. He was fortunate in having the strong support of The Times from the outset, ana many of the most influential men helped him also. During the next few years Mr. Henniker Heaton visited India, Canada, Australia, and South Africa, and other British possessions. He interviewed the various Prime Ministers and other public men, seeking to gain their endorsement m his scheme, and al the same time endeavoured to glean all possible information relating to the postal services. On 12th July, 1898, as the outcome of a conference in Lrtndon, «, was decided that the penny rate should be extended to all parts <?J! the Empire, which would consent to receive letters so stamped from England. "All the Australian colonies^" said Sir Henniker, '^voted against it, arid it was heart-breaking to mo "to find the country I loved, and to which I owed everything, taking such * stand." In August, 1900, the New Zealand Government decided to establish a universal penny post within and beyond tho Dominion. The persistency ' displayed by Sir Henniker in. his subsequent correspondence with the Commonwealth Governments is so frefeh in the public mind that further reference to it is unnecessary, excepting to say that the penny postage within 'the Commonwealth, and with the British Empire, was inaugurated on Ist May, 1911. Penny postage to the United States was secured in October, 1805. Sir Heimikor Heaton, who was born flt Rochester, Kent, in 1848, was educated at Kent House Grammai School and King's College^ London. He was lfnighted in 1905, and created a baronet in I^l2. The Imperial penny postage scheme was^ carried in 1893, and the Anglo-American penny postage in 1907. Sir Henniker introduced telegraph money orders in England and Jhe parcel post in Fiance. He was elected M.P. for Canterbury in 1885, 18S6, 1892, 1895, ]_900, and 1906-10 (the last four occasions unopposed). His heir Is his eldest 6on, John Henniker Heaton.