Original Correspondence.

Evening Star, Volume III, Issue 839, 13 January 1866, Page 2

Original Correspondence.

.... : § {To Ike Editor of the Everting Star.) Sir, — The ahle leader in your-issue of the 11th, on the Separation Question, is worthy of public attention ; and in the concluding sentences you very properly use the imperative mood, for I feel convinced no good result will attend a vaci: lating and indecisive course of action in this, one of the most important measures’requiring settlement. That you are justified in advocating, so urgently, the necessity for separation of the Middle from the Northern Island, upon the grounds you have already adduced, canhdt fob a moment be doubted ; but there are many' Other reasons which could be brought forward “to strengthen your arguments. However, having no wish to trespass on your limited Space, I shall only endeavour, very briefly, to direct attention to the injurious tendency of the novel and eccentric system of retrenchment being pursued by Mr Stafford, in the Postal Service of this Province. Besides altering and otherwise reducing inland communication to a hurtful degree, 1 am ihformed on undoubted authority, that it is proposed to r*educe, by one third the present number of letter-carriers in this city ; and as if this were insufficient to gratify his parsimonious mind, he must needs lower the salary of the remaining four by £lO per annum each ! Words are inadequate to express the indignation which every one must feel at this tampering with the efficiency of a very important branch of the service ; but when the public evil effects, our state of degradation must be low indeed if ibs continuance be tolerated Bat apart from its certain tendency to annoy and irritate the public by delay in delivery, &c., I would deprecate the principal of deducting any portion from the already small pay of a useful class of men, carrying out such responsible duties. The idea of reducing the staff and at same time the pay of the remainder, is so preposterous, cruel, and unjust, that it is only charitable to ascribe such administrative absurdities to Mr Stafford holding such a plurality of offices. A paltry saving of £4O per annum from four industrious men, while the magnificent proportions of the costly building of the new Post Office are being slowly developed ! Such inconsistency. coupled with what we have seen lately of provincial legislation, seals the fact, that We are politically as well as geographically at the Antipodes !—I am. Sir, Yours, A LOOKER ON. Dunedin, 13th January, 1886.