Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 1892.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXVI, Issue 72, 29 March 1892, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 1892.

It soeins that there ib a possibility that tho ponuy postage will nofc bo introduced after all. This statement does nob come from any Opposition authority, but from tho Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times, whioh is ono of tho few important papors that nupporb tho prosonfc Government. Its information on such n subject ought to bo correct, as Mr Reeves, Minister ot Education, is closely connected with is, aud is pretty suro to tako care that its Wellington correspondent does nofc send incorreofc messages that might disoredib fcho Government. The sohomo for lowering tho ordinary rate of inland poßtago from two. ponce to a penny was last; session ono in which tho Postmaster. Goneral, Mr Ward, took a groat interest. Ifc mofc with a great doal ot opposition, and ifc was roperfcod that some of Mr Ward's colleagues wonld have bean glad to boo it abandoned. The opponents of the rednofcion maintaiued that ifc was quite unnecessary, that no ono grumbled afc the present rate, fchafc ifc would oufcail a aorions sacrifice of revenue and thafc the only people who would gain would bo thoso who could well afiord to pay fcho existing rate. Mr Ward, how- ! ever, stuck to his colours. Ho poinfcod out that with tho postage to England at 2Jd ifc was abßurd to ohargo twoponoo for inland letters. The Government had enough money to enable ifc to afford to inako tho ohango. There was a large surplus of general revenuo, and the balanoo of postal revenuo over expenditure was nearly £73,000. In fcho fiuau. oial sfcafcomont Mr Ballanco said fchafc the proposal was the rosult of careful con. sidorafcion, and that letter-writers might with prudence bo relieved of tho payment of £40,000 a yenr. Nofc only could tho colony afford to make fcho reduction, but tho inoroaao in tho number of lefcfcora would bo so groat that in the course of three years tho postal revenuo would be Buro to riso to its old amount. Tho Bill was ac cordingly passod, with tho provision fchafc fcho reduction should bo mado by Ordor-in-Oouncil. Mr Ward said that tho dafco was to bo fcho Ist of April, immediately after tho close of tho financial year. Now, if tho correspondent of tho Eyttoltou Times is correctly informed, all tho Jiuo words and wealth of argu. monfc nro likoly to bo waßfccd, Thoro is much crowing over tho manner in which the revenuo is coming in, aud tho Ministers aud their supporters aro taking immense credit for tho succoss of a system of financo which ifc is fcho object of their oxisbenoo to upsofc. If in spite of all this . the penny postage is to bo thrown ovor. board thoro must bo something wrong somewhere. It would be interesting to know what is Mr Ward's proßont opinion on tho subject.