The Manawatu Daily Times The British Post Office

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7268, 22 September 1933, Page 6

The Manawatu Daily Times The British Post Office

Two conclusions may be drawn from the record of the British Post Office during the last year, as presented recently by the Postmaster-General. It shows that signs of an upward move in British trade were already apparent last autumn; it also shows that a State department may become more efficient and enterprising when released from treasury interference.

The Post Office reflects with accuracy all the activities of the nation in written, telephoned and telegraphed communications. Its figures tend to go up when trade is improving (or when it is about to improve—for correspondence about new work is apt to precede the work itself), and down when trade is bad.

For many years before the world slump the postal revenue had shown an upward trend, but in 1930 the trend was reversed, and for nearly two years there was a smaP but almost unvarying decline. The turn of the tide was marked in September last. Postal revenues began to increase, presumably in anticipation of more actual trade, and during the early part of 1933 the rise had become considerable. The improvement in trade now apparent in increased employment was thus forecast nearly a year ago by the number of postage stamps sold.

The yearly figure is an impressive 0ne —7,000,000,000 postage stamps. But since the British Post Office deals not only with delivery of letters, but also with telegraphs, telephones, money orders, the Post Office Savings Bank, wireless licenses and inter-imperial wireless telegraphy, the figure of the turnover of its business is still more impressive—£760,000,000 a year.

It is thus evident that this commercial undertaking, conducted by a chief who is a member of the Government and responsible to Parliament, is one of the largest businesses in the world. The measure of its efficiency is a measure of the possibilities of a socialised concern. The fact that it made last year a record profit of £10,792,000 is not in itself an indication of success; for the control of an indispensable monopoly ought to insure its profits. It must be judged rather by the nature of the services it renders, by its capacity in expanding them when expansion or contraction can be influenced, by its enterprise, and by fts merits as an employer of labour.

The workers are adequately though not highly paid, are comparatively secure in their employment, and receive pensions on retirement. The letter postage service has for many years claimed to be the most speedy and the most reliable in the world. The telephone Services, on the other hand, have been open to severe criticism, and compare unfavourably with those of the United States. A few years ago many complaints were made about the conservatism of the Post Office; and its slowness in re-equipment and in opening up and developing new services.

But recently there has been a distinct improvement. The department has rebuilt many of the post offices, established automatic telephone exchanges, got rid ,of irritating delays in installing new telephones, advertised the uses that may be made of combined telephone and telegraph activities, and has received praise from Signor Marconi for its pioneer work in making radio an efficient medium of world communications. England has been the first country to construct short-wave stations, using them for direct wireless telegraphic communications throughout the Empire.

This energy on the part of the post office shows that a State department is not necessarily, and in the nature of things, unenterprising in business. But it is impossible not to connect this new energy with recent changes that have been made in releasing the department from too much interference by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Formerly all its profits had to be handed over to the Chancellor, and all its accounts and proposals for new expenditure were meticulously examined by Treasury officials. Now it is allowed to retain some of its profits for new development, and the day-to-day scrutiny of details of expenditure by an outside body is abolished.

The recent successes of the Post Office afford a striking demonstration of the fact that if the State is to enter into business it must be through a body empowered to control its own administration. The Post Office is still a State department. But it is nearer, in. character, than it was formerly to those semiindependent public utility corporations which the new Socialim is incjgagjftfilx koMiffg m as its kk&L -

During the past season tic Grey District Acclimatisation Rociot.y. it is reported, paid out £36 3/6 for 362 shags' heads. The society's annual report states that from reports to hand throughout bho district, the numbers to bo seen are as much as usual, and it appears that these birds, seeking tho most inaccessiblo places for Tookcries, will maintain their numbers in spite of shooting on tho rivers and lakes.

The Minister of Internal Affairs has announced the allocation of tho proceeds of tho last art union, amounting to £IO,OOO, as follows:—Distress relief, £5000; Homo of Compassion (Wellington), £S00; Smith Family, Wellington, £250; Wlmngarci A. and P. Society, £.100; Hamilton Y.M.C.A., £S00; Canterbury Officers’ Club. £250; Franklin A. and P. Society, 500; Egmont National Park Board South Committee, £800; South African Veterans’ Association £250; Mangouui A. and P Society, £500; Wcllsford A. and P. Society, £350.

To protect travellers in the old coaching days a strip a mile wide on each side of the West Coast road from Springfield to Dillmaustowu was declared a sanctuary, obviating the chance of anyone being struck by a stray bullet. It was stated at a meeting of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society that tho passing, of time and the replacement of coaching by railway transport had removed the necessity for the sanctuary, and it was decided to make representations to the Government that all restrictions over this area be lifted.

Advice has been received in Dunedin that Leslie Olds, the ex-New Zealand junior champion swimmer, broke his second American record on August 19 at the Lakeside Swimming Poo), Oakland, wkcro ho bettered Spence's record time for the 300 metres medley by If, seconds, Olds negotiating the distance in 4min. 15 l-sscc. The win gave Olds his lirst senior Pacific Association title. He now holds the Pacific Association mark for the 500 yards freestyle, the new American and world record for tho 200 yards free style, and tho American and world record for tho 300 metres medley. Olds also won the Dolphin Club’s sixteenth annual Golden Gate swim.

Brief mention of the exchange rate was made by the Prime Minister (the Bt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) at a dinner given by the Wellington Manufacturers’ Association on Wednesday night. Mr. Forbes said that when he left New Zealand he had been told that when he reached England he would have to answer a number of questions .on the exchange rate. However, when ho arrived Home ho was surprised to find that nobody raised the question. When •.o had discussed the question with the economists and financial experts, they had pointed out that the New Zealand exchange was stable at 25 per cent, and their advice was to leave it at. that figure. The Wanganui Education Board at its meeting this week, considered a request from one of tho countryschools for permission to go ahead with the laying down of an asphalt tennis court. In the report of the discussion, Colonel J. H. Whyte was credited with say-big that ho was opposed to bho laying down of any tennis courts at schools because he considered tennis was a selfish game to encourage. In view of the wrong construction that may bo placed on the report, it is only right to explain that at this particular country school there is very little flat ground available for games and that it was proposed to utilise all of it for the tennis court. It was for that reason that the Colonel opposed the application and his argument was that the flat ground—less than a quarter of an acre in extent — could be made better use of if set aside for games in which a greater number of school chilurcn couid take part.