STATE CONTROL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23400, 17 July 1939, Page 14

STATE CONTROL

Sir. —If your correspondent "N.Z.TSorn" will read up the early history of the Post Office in the Encyclopaedia Britannica he will learn that for at least 200 years the British Post Office was under private control and that this "business" control led to handsome profit* to the business man but to a very poor sort of service to the public. Turning to New Zealand let "X.Z. Born" study the map of his country and note the many hundreds of small and isolated villages which receive quite good service at the hands of the State postal service. As business propositions, the servicing of these points is dotio at a definite loss. Private ownership of the Post Office would certainly cut out service to these isolated places, making life in rural areas, so cut off. just that much more difficult. Finally, it may interest "N.Z.-Born" to know that the only response given to the question I put to the Opposition members present was the interjection, "These things have been operating for years." Clearly the only difference between their brands of socialism and mine is, that where I am prepared to extend the practical application of the principle, they consider Xew Zealand has gone far enough. At the same time these oppositionists are one and all applauding the Labour Government's decision to tackle the great problem of land erosion—a task which is evidently beyond private enterprise because, urgent as it is, there is 110 prospect of direct money profit to be made. H. E. Combs.