POST OFFICE REVENUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20898, 13 June 1931, Page 10

POST OFFICE REVENUE.

INCREASE IN THE RATES. DOUBT CAST ON ESTIMATES. OPINION OF THE MINISTER. The opinion that, the Government would obtain considerably more revenue from the increased postal and telegraphic charges than the £250,000 estimated by Iho New Zealand Heiiald on the basis of tho March figures was expressed by i the Postmaster-General, the Hon. J. B. Donald, in an interview at Auckland yes- | terday. It, was originally estimated by the Gov- j crnment that the liigher charges would j assist the Government to the extent of | £986,000 this year. Mr. Donald said ho was not prepared to state whether j that expectation would be realised, but ho had not the slightest doubt that the . Herald's figure of £250,000 would be j greatly exceeded. There had been an improvement in April, although the exact j figures were not available at the moment. When the figures for May were com- j plcted, said Mr. Donald, he would be j able to make a complete review of the position on the basis of the situation revealed by three months' operation of the higher charges, compared with the figures for the corresponding period of last year. " Trading conditions have been very bad, and, although it was not expected that they would be good, it was not anticipated. that they would be quite as bad as has been the case," said the Minister. When the increased charges were introduced on March 1 it was not thought that we would obtain the full benefit in that month, as people naturally endeavoured to see where economies could be effected. However, I look for a satisfactory result at the end of the present financial year." The Minister pointed out that the Hawke's Bay earthquake had made a tremendous difference to the revenue of the department, riot only in the devastated area itself, but also in other parts of tho Dominion. Asked to comment on a suggestion that, if tho department were given a free hand to popularise its services, it would perhaps be able to earn larger profits for tho relief of tho Budget than would be obtained by imposing penal charges, Mr. Donald said that was a matter of policy which he was not prepared to discuss. He indicated, however, that the method adopted in an endeavour to sccuie greatei revenue had his approval.