RURAL MAIL CHARGES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16553, 12 October 1921, Page 4

RURAL MAIL CHARGES.

NEW SCHEME UNPOPULAR. [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, October 11. The new scheme of rural mail delivery, which becomes . effective- in January next, and which proposes the establishment of a flat rate contribution of £2 where there are three deliveries weekly and £1 where there are few’er, ia creating considerable agitation among rural settlers, 'and several question** were put to the Postmaster-General, the Hon J. G. Coates, to-day, the latter stating that the new scheme would reduce Government expenditure in deliveries by one half. Mr Forbes raised the subject by stating that the new scheme would be more costly, and the Minister replied that at present the service cost some settlers nothing, while others contributed from £5 to £lO annuallj'. The object was to make a uniform system according to location of settlers. It had been argued that one of two deliveries daily in the cities could be cut out and thus effect a saving, but he reminded the House that it would be infinitesimal to the amount of revenue obtained, also that larger populations were entitled to a better service. All services were governed by tho amount of revenue. Recently the Chief Telegraph Engineer, Mr Shrimpton, and Mr Morris, Secretary of tlie Post Office, had made investigations in Canada and the United States, ami it was found that it was the endeavour to lay dowTi a general principle that the service to be given must be governed by cost and revenue to bo obtained. That principle was being followed in the outlined scheme for the Dominion. Replying to Mr M’Leod, the Minister said that the annual cost to the Department was £4777 in cash, while taking into consideration the contributions of settlers the cost amounted to £8167. and he might add that the serviced would cost a great deal more if it were not for private enterprise, such as that of the newspapers. Answering further questions Mr Coates stated that the estimated revenue was £28,817 and the cost to the Department Nvfould be out down by half. Mr Bitchener said that the present scheme opernted. most happily in the baekblocks of his district and the payment of £1 or £2 all round was going to be a great hardship. Tlie Minister said ho was glad to get expressions of opinion, all of which would be considered.