THE PENNY POST.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12425, 14 February 1901, Page 5

THE PENNY POST.

CONGRATULATION FROM LONDON. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —“ A Happy New Century to you and your readers.” I am sending this greeting from great London, the first' minute of the 20th Century. It is one of two letters I have despatched to far off Nbw Zealand, the same being the first two missives placed in the foreign and colonial receiver at our Chief Post Office, St Martins-le-grand, in the very early mom of Jan 1, 1901. Ocean penny post has been a dream with many postal reformers, and now our remotest colony, under the Southern Cross, leads the way, living well up to its most excellent motto of “ Advance.” May the new Commonwealth, y our big neighbour in the Pacific, see fit, as one of its early acts, to fall in line with you in this respect. Having resided for upwards of four years in Canterbury, New Zealand, 1 still cherish fond memory of the pleasant time I bad among you. I attended a lantern lecture a short time since at the Imperial Institute, given, by Mr Gathcart Wason, lately one of your old residents in Canterbury, and was much interested in the details and growth of your province. I trust New Zealand will ever continue to advance, especially in the arts of peace and sobriety. I must also congratulate Canterbury on its Jubilee. I noticed some excellent illustrations of the auspicious event in our London periodical newspaper, “Black and White.”—l am, etc., F. J. ROWLANDS. London, England, Jan.'l, 1901.