Page 1 Advertisements Column 5

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXIX, Issue 62, 14 March 1906, Page 1

TOPICAL PORTRAIT SERIES. . <* RIGHT HON. SYDNEY BUXTON. AND THE DEMAND FOR AN TMPER.IAL PENNY POSTAL STANDARD. The Chief General Post Office of the Empire, at all times the most important institution of its kind in the world, gains in public interest at this moment because of the possibility, perhaps probability, of an early Imperial standard postage rate. Pretty well everyone agrees that a universal penny postage stamp is among the certainties, but there is much confliction in a few countries regarding the date when it will be wise to bring it into force. If it could be shown that the increase in correspondence would more than balance any loss of revenue when based on present figures it is pertain that there would be no objection to the reform in any part of the world; and it is only just to say that those places which have taken the leap already have discovered that any previous fears as to its wisdom were quite unnecessary. In our own great group the chief objector under the flag to a single standard rate is Australia, but this arises less from the dread of aijy loss of necessary revenue on oversea mailage than from a fear that the internal sacrifice would make tne work of balancing nearly impossible. But the best argument against this is that the General x^ost Office of Australia is quite out of gear with its own federal condition, which implied, on the adoption of the Constitutioii',a single stamp as well.as a single standard rate,whereas each State has still its individual stampage both as regards design and colors. If England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales each had a- different stampage the position in Great Britain would be more incongruous than is the present one in Australia, which, although now federated in most things, is quite provincial and out of date in its paper smybbls of postal values. But far more difficult things that this have been straightened out when the wish has been at the back of their consideration, and if a general penny rate does involve an internal penny rate, there is this to* be said for the latter—it should have been realised in Australia long ago. The present feeling in the Empire is unmistkeably in favor of a general penny stamp for the halfounce, no matter what the distance, and the signs are that the feeling will grow till it becomes irresistible. NatiU'alJy the most influential mover in this direction must 'bp the General Post Office in Great Britain, and as head oT that great department, Mr Buxton, the new Postmaster-General, is charged with a great Imperial undertaking, the ultimate of which must be the closer union of the Eng-lish-speaking races under the flag. A man like Mr Henniker-Heaton in such a position would, if given a reasonable time, assuredly see a way out of all present difficulties by infusing'that desire for the reform throughput the Empire that he created in Great Britain prior to the movement which is bracketted with his name. If a man without the authority of office was able to do this, then the present PostmasterGeneral's task is really not a serious one; and so if it fails it will not be because of the cause but,mqre for tjio re.asoi that the hand to advocate it has lacked the electricity of enthusiasm. As a rule..the one Minister in Great Britain who has least chance of leaving a name to posterity is the head of this Department, but circumstances have arisen to alter this, with the result Mr Buxton has perpetual fame at his command by giving the best of his energies to vie establishment of $1$ Imperial penny p*tamp. "' j