POSTAL BUSINESS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 9160, Issue 9160, 9 March 1910, Page 2

POSTAL BUSINESS.

INCREASED REVENUE. MORE IMPROVEMENTS PROPOSED (Pep. Press association.i» AUCKLAND, March 8. Some interesting comparisons and statements in regard to the business of the Post and Telegraph Department were made by the Prime Minister and Post-master-General (Sir Joseph Ward) to a Herald _ representative in the course of an interview. In dealing with the revenue of the Department for the first ten months of the current financial year, ended 31et | January, Sir Joseph said that the results were exceedingly satisfactory. The revenue for the 10 months was £769,657, as compared with £713,585 for the corresponding period of the previous year. The postal revenue proper had increased by 8.80 per cent, and for nearly the whole of this increase the penny post wae responsible. On the telegraph side also the revenue had advanced by 6.59, the laregst share of the increase being produced by the telephone division. He hoped, he said, to end this month with a total Post and Telegraph revenue for the financial year of £960,000, which would bo considerably in oxcess of his ostimate. In speaking of the extcneive reduction in the rates of money order and postal note commission made a couple of years ago. Sir Joseph Ward said the wisdom of the step wastproved by the fact that the lofis in revenue was being rapidly recouped by the largo increase of business. As an evidence of the progress of the Department, he mentioned that the revenue had more than doubled in ten years, it having risen during that period from £445,340 to £920,021, and this de spite the very great reductions in rates that had take place during that period. The business of the Post Office Savings Bank had also shown a great increase, the amount to the credit of de-

positors at the end of last year being £12,666,892. which showed an increase of over half a million for the year. Turning to the future, Sir Joseph stated that extensive economies that had been rendered possible by improved methods of working, and the introduction of the most modern appliances, were being carried out, and tnese, ho hoped, I would enable him to announce further concessions to the patrons of the Department. Those just now under consideration, he said, were mainly directed to the improvement of the services in coun-

try districts, eueh as a reduction in parcel rates, and an increase in the weight of parcels, the inauguraflon of rural postaj deliveries, with the ultimate object of getting a delivery at the door of every farmhouse in the country, and a greater extension of telephone facilities in remote country districts. He hoped to be able to provide for most of these out of th« savings referred to, and he thought thai no one would grudge the additional facilities to country settlers, even if th< proposed innovations did not at first paj their way. Another neiv departure in thp country districts would be the introduction o the "Home Savings Banks." These tool the form of steel boxes, which were len to depositors as receptacles for thei; savings, but which could bo opened onl; at post offices where tho amounte con tained in the boxes were credited to thi depositors. The Waikato would be tfr first country district to which tho Horn. Savings Bank would bo supplied, and it was hoped to have them in working order in that district within a couple of months.

The Prime Minister said that he was very pleased to say that the revenue from income tax was also showing an encouraging increase. The amount received for the present financial year up till the middle of February was £307,391. The estimate of £300,000 for the year was thus already exceeded, and it was calculated that the revenue for the whole year would closely approximate last year's collection of £321,044, notwithstanding the comparative depression that existed during the year ended 31st March, 1909, on the income returns, of which period tho current vear's assessments had been based.