POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 19697, 26 October 1927, Page 4

POLITICAL POINTS

post crrscE finance [Fnoif Our Pakuame.xt.uit Reporter.] WELLINGTON, October 2-3. The commercialisation of the Post and Telegraph Department's finances has rendered necessary an amendment of tho Act. 'This was introduced by Governor’s Message in the House tonight. and it was (.explained by the Post-master-General (Mr No.sworihy) that fifteen clauses wore needed to separate tho postal from the Treasury accounts, a process which had the approval of tho Treasury ami tho Minister of Finance. The Rill shows that it also proposes to increase the fine from £5(3 to £2OO (or imprisonment for three months) as punishment for dealing in or using fictitious postage stamps. The illegal opening or detention of postal packets, formerly an indictable offence, is, according to tho new clause, punishable on summary conviction by a fine of Loll or three months’ imprisonment. » * + * EDUCATION RESERVES. At' tho Instance of the member for Wakatipu a return was presented to ■the House showing that there are 1,230 sections leased in Otago and Southland land districts which are education reserves, a total area of -TS 1,.‘115 acres; and the cash received for rents is £27,227, of which £G,732 is from -) 1 ■’> sections in Otago and £20,4!J5 from 757 sections in Southland.