COMMERCIAL METHODS

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1930, Page 11

COMMERCIAL METHODS

POST OFFICE PROGRESS CLOSER RELATIONS WITH PUBLIC. POPULARISING THE TOLL SYSTEM (By Wire —Special to News.) Wellington, Last Night. In his annual report to Parliament the Postmaster-General (the Hon. J. B. Donald) states that the revenue collected during the year exceeded that for the previous year by £196,075. The su;.i received was £3,641,620, as compared with £3,111,199, while the amount of £500,000 was invested for the purpose of renewal and replace-, ment of existing assets, thus leaving a balance of receipts ever payments of •£30,421.. Interest on capital liability, •which is included in. working expenses; amounted to £481,000, an increase of £53,000 on the amount., paid for • the .previous year. . . • u Although .withdrawals- from the PostOffice Savings-Bank -exceeded' deposits by, £.1,014,140, the...- respective.-..figures being.. £29,575,994 and £28,561,854, the sum°at credit of depositors . increased by £750,000, interest credited to depositors amounting to £1,800,414. The total sum at credit of "depositors is ? now £49,436,491, the per capita average for the Dominion being approximately £33 4s. . “A further step .in the application of business methods to State enterprise has been taken by the establishment of a commercial branch of. the departs ment.” said Mr. Donald; ‘'the functions of which will b.e to foster and extend cordial relations between the department and the public': and to promote more extensive use of the telephone in all capacities in which dt will -prove of value to the user. The new system was not inaugurated until March, but the results already achieved are very encouraging; The activities-of the officers of the branch are being limited a 1 first to Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington, but as the branch becomes established it is intended to extend its activities to other centres and to other phases of the department’s business. “The outstanding feature of the telephone business was the increased use of the telephone for toll purposes. The total number of calls exceeded 11,009,-' 001, representing an increase on the previous year’s traffic of over 7 per cent. Toll revenue amounted to £482,571, an increase of approximately 9 per cent.” _ ■ The erection of five post oflice buildings was completed during the year, and additions and alterations were made to some 18 existing buildings.