"LEADING THE VAN."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11534, 20 November 1900, Page 6

" LEADING THE VAN."

NEW ZEALAND AND PENNY POST., COLONY CONGRATULATED. NEW SAN FRANCISCO SERVICE ARRANGEMENTS. ' (from ot/r own correspondent.} London, October 12. Mr. Henniker Heaton, M.P., is not unnaturally exuberant at a letter which he has just received from the Hon. J. G. Ward as to penny postage. In a letter sent to the Times, Mr. Heaton quotes from Mr. Ward's communication as follows: — "It has been determined to introduce a universal penny letter post, in this colony from January 1 next.' The beginning' of the new century will fittingly mark- the event, which should give widespread satisfaction, and prove an epoch in the history of the colony. New Zealand will by this reform be placed in the forefront of the civilised countries of \ the world. Not only in the colony, but throughout the Empire, the penny post will be hailed as an inestimable boon. Judging from an enormous increase in the volume of correspondence which has followed the cheapening of postage rates in New Zealand in the past, only a few years should elapse before the financial loss incurred at the outset is largely, if not entirely, made up." Commenting on this, Mr. Heaton points out that the question arises what it would cost England to lead the van, as she did in free trade, and establish universal penny postage? He then says: ; " All sensible people and men of the world who desire to establish friendly relations with France, Germany, and Russia will smile when they see us sending letters for Id each to New Zealand, and yet charging 2£d for a letter from Dover to Calais." " Giving a Lead" is the headline above an article on the subject in the St. James' Gazette, which remarks: —"The vigorous and courageous enterprise of the colonies is often very refreshing, and never more so than when they give the older States of the civilised world a lead over fences at whinh the latter are disposed to shy. Reforms, it is true, are often less beset with difficulties in new countries where the roots of institutions are less deeply planted in the past than in the case of Europe. This cannot, however, be urged as an excuse for cur allowing New Zealand to lead the way with the establishment of a universal penny post. Our own postal service is far more itigantic than that of New Zealand. We should therefore be in a much better position for facing the risk of temporary loss, ircm lowered postal rates; and we should have a better prospect than the colony of quickly converting that loss into profit derived f i «m an enormous increase of business. New Zealand, however, is not to be deterred frc m giving the world a lead in this ynatter. On the first day of the new century a universal letter post will be introduced. Ihe Postmaster-General of the colony, in making, the announcement in his annual revert, congratulates New Zealand on being placed by this reform in the forefront of the civilised world. It is a legitimate case of pride ; but, while joining in the congratulations which are due to Mr. Ward and the Government of which he is a member, we cannot •but fee! ashamed that England is thus to be outstripped in the matter of postal reform. "When it is borne in mind how much has been done for our commerce and our social convenience by the inland penny postage," continues the writer of the article in the St. James' Gazette, "which seemed as difficult of realisation to the last generation as universal penny postage appears to the more cautious to-day, it will not be maintained that the reform to be inaugurated by New Zealand is not one of first-rate importance." I The Globe thinks:—"lt must be very pleasing to Mr. Henniker Heaton, M.P., who is unceasing in his efforts on behalf of universal penny postage, to have received from the Postmaster-General of New Zealand full particulars of his scheme for a universal penny postage, which comes into operation with the new year. The Hon. J. G. Ward, judging from the enormous increase in the volume of correspondence which has followed previous cheapening of postal rates in the colony, anticipates that in a few years the initial loss will be more than made good." In somewhat the same tone is the comment of the Westminster Gazette, which says:— congratulate Mr. Ward, the New Zealand Postmaster-General, on his decision to welcome the new century by inaugurating a universal penny post. In New Zealand (as in the Australian colonies) the difficulty in the way of an Imperial penny post hitherto has always been that the internal rate was higher than a penny, and that it would be obviously paradoxical to have the internal rate higher than the external. The only way out was to lower both, and that is precisely what is to be done in New Zealand."

Passing from London press comments, I learn that Mr. W. P. Reeves has been very courteously received by the Imperial Post Office authorities in the regulations necessary before the penny post project can actually come into existence. They have given every facility, and, in addition, will give every aid in order to help on negotiations with foreign countries. As to the new San Francisco mail scheme, which is to come into operation next month, certain arrangements have to be made with the postal people at this end. These Mr. Reeves is making, but there is a certain amount of delay owing to Imperial Treasury requirements having to be met. That all-important department has, of course, to be consulted by the post office. Mr. Chamberlain has given good help, however, so there is every hope that arrangements, full and complete, will be made before the new service starts. As to the effect of the American navigation laws upon the carrying of the mails, it must be quite three years ago that Mr. Reeves had correspondence on the*'matter with, I believe, the Americans. Then Hawaii had not been absorbed into the United States, and their navigation laws did not apply; now it has been absorbed and they do. So there is nothing new in the matter. The only thing is the utter want of foresight on the part of the Imperial Government years ago. So far back as 1891, I think lam right in saying, Mr. Reeves persuaded Mr. Ballance — the result of a long talk as to the Hawaii route —to present a protest to the Imperial Government against the annexation of the island. They could then either have stipulated against annexation or got Pago Pago, in Samoa, as the price.

In conversation with Mr. Reeves on the subject, he did not hesitate to say that at the time either one of these concessions could have been secured. But the Government of 1891-95 would not even annex Necker Island, a wretched rock, which at the time nobody wanted. Had we secured it, however, it would have meant a saving of £300,000 or £400,000 in the cost of the Pacific cable.