POST OFFICE IMPRESSIONS

Evening Star, Issue 12882, 3 August 1906, Page 12

POST OFFICE IMPRESSIONS

Intarvietrtd by the ' Post' concerning the work of the London Post Office, Mr W Gray Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Depamnent), who journeyed from London with Sir Joseph Ward, said that quick despatch and rapid delivery were tho striking features of what appeared to be perfect organisation there. In fact, these points were emphasised, strango to sav, bv an entire absence of private boxes at tho "post offices, the merchants of London preferred to have their correspondence delivered at their offices by the letter-carriers, because the deliveries were frequent, and were carried out promptly by an army of men. Asked ii there was any lesson in this for us, Mr Gray said that the New Zealand Postal Department had much to learn from the management of London's correspondence, but there was such a vast difference between the population of the world's metropolis) and the colony that tho matter assumed a different aspect when viewed in this light. Then, again, it Was not tor the Secretary to adopt ideas, but he would certainly mako suggestions to the PostmasterGeneral, which should effect a considerable improvement in New Zealand's postal service. There was, however, the all-import-ant question of the increased expenditure entailed in the new proposals. Still, Sir Joseph Ward had himself investigated the London system, and had also been impressed by its organisation. In New York it was the telephone .system that appealed most strongly to Mr Gray, for it appeared to him to justify the claim that it was the finest system in the world. Tho Postmaster-, General intended to mako a test of New York's central battery system, but its general adoption would mean an entirely new outfit for tho colony—a very expensive undertaking. Sir Joseph Ward was to have the test equipment fitted up for communication between his. private residence and his office, and by this means a thorough test would bo effected.