PENNY POSTAGE AND SIXPENNY TELEGRAMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13097, 9 February 1906, Page 5

PENNY POSTAGE AND SIXPENNY TELEGRAMS.

INTERESTING SPEECH BY SIR J.

WARD.

[BY TELEGRAPH. PRESS association.]

Wellington', Thursday, Sir Joseph Ward, who leaves on Saturday for Sydney, en route to Europe, for the purpose of attending the Postal Conference, was entertained at a complimentary banquet, held in the Town Hall, this eve'ning. About 200 citizens were present. The Mayor presided, and the Weirder and other members of the Ministry were present. The toast, of the guest of the evening was proposed by the Hon. T. K. Mcdonald, who eulogised the work done by Sir Joseph Ward at the head of his several Departments. In the course of his reply, Sir Joseph Ward stilted that he looked -forward with sanguineness to the result of his effort to bring about- a universal system of penny postage. Since the establishment of the penny postage in New Zealand the saving to the public on the increased number of letters amounted to £415,059. The revenue from letters posted within the colony since that time had amounted to £847,093. If the old rates had been in operation it would have amounted to £1,234,481. Since the establishment of the sixpenny telegram system the saving to the public on increased business amounted to £383,631. The concessions given to the public by the reduction of passenger fares in five years amounted to over £356,000, and in respect of season tickets to £16,215.