POSTAL CHARGES

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 August 1920, Page 5

POSTAL CHARGES

REDUCTION WANTED.

BY LABOUR ELEMEX'I

DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE.

(Special to the "Star.")

WELLINGTON, August 13

There was strong Parliamentary sapport when the member for Duller divided the House on a motion of protest against the new postal and telegraphic charges. He found five other supporters while 54 members indicated-by their vote that the new scale is Justified.

Sir. Holland contended that the charges constituted taxation which would be passed on to the mass of the people, without Parliament's sanction. What ought to have been done was to revert to the penny postage wliich was the finest; service Sir Joseph Ward had ever rendered to the people of New Zealand. ' Mr. McCombs declared that the increased postal charge; were preeminent ly those which would be passed to the public. It was idle to complain about taking late action because this was the first chance.'

Mr. D. Jones expressed surprise at the quarter in wliich the amendment originated. He thought Labour liked Socialistic institutions; here was a department which had no capital account and all that was asked for was that people should pay for the services they received.

"It just shows when you get down to hard facts the absurdities of their position," lie declared. "The Hon. gentleman is an unconscious humorist," declared Mr. Veitch •who was of the opinion that the Post Office was no more a socialistic affair than Mr. Jones' farm. It was a mistake to regard charges as taxation, and any attempt to meet deficiencies in revenue by drawing on the 'Consolidated revenue would be a weak and dangerous system. The amendment was simply an attempt to make party capital.

Mr. Isitt said that tflp overhead expenses were so large and the Board o: Trade so exacting in its demands that business men could net put on further

profits. ill-. McCallum considered that the most important point was whether tlie increases would enable the Department to meet its expenses. Mr. W. D. Lysnar considered the Labourites illogical. They asked tor increased wages for the employees, but objected when the post off : ee users had to pay it. They teemed to be looking for chaos. "If we want to find chaos we can look behind us, starting with the member for Gisborne," retorted Mr. Fraser, who contended that the pcstal increase.* could be passed on. Mr. McCombs pointed to Departmental reports showing a surplus revenue of £400,0C0 during the past few years but the Premier declared that as no capital charges were made against the Post and Telegraph Department it was reasonable to place any surplus to the credit of the Consolidated revenue. The Postmaster-General said that he would be £250,000 behind this year on the salaries alone, but for increased charges in which allowance been made for some reductions. Business penny postage was nowimpossjble in England and Australia as well as in New Zealand.