Indianapolis Times, Volume 34, Number 12, Indianapolis, Marion County, 26 May 1921 — Page 9

State Monopolies of ‘NeW 7, ealaneL

The magnificent postoffice building which houses both the mail and telegraph services at Wellington, the capital. It is the finest building of

By W. D. BOYCE. IN THE article before I told you of the three lines of business which the government of the Dominion of New Zealand runs in competition with private enterprise. In this article I shall tell you of the things which the government operates as state monopolies. These are the postoffice department, the railroads, telegraphs and telephones and radio wireless. All methods of communication are under control of the postal department, and I have found it most efficiently conducted. I hare called it the postal department. Those in charge of it much prefer that it be called a “service,” on the ground* thftt Its many ramifications, or branches, make it the most useful organization in the country. Evidently the people think o. too, for they make much use of their postal service and it does a business of around 810,000,000 a year on which it makes a profit for the Government of $1,250,000. In other words, an average of $8 a year is spent with the Postoffice Department for every person In the Dominion. Os the 2,350 postoffices in the Dominion. SOO virtually act in the capacity of commercial banks for the public and for the Government. More than 500,000 accounts are carried in the postal savings bank with an average balance of $230. Twenty-five cents Is the smallest amount which will be received for deposit, bnt interest is paid only on sums amounting to $5 or over. Interest on sums running np to $1,500 may run as high as 5 per cent, while not more than 4 per cent Is paid on sums between $1,500 and $5,000Deposlts above $5,000 do not draw interest. How the public the postoffice savings bank is shown by the fact that it has deposits ten tirma arbgreati as those placed In the five savings banks of the Dominion which are not Government operated. The money which is received by the savings bank of the postoffice Is invested In high-class gecurities. The bank does no dealing in any way with land, neither does it put any money in_ commercial ventures of its own. Virtually every department of the Dominion Government deposits money with the Postoffice Department and makes payments throughout the Dominion throughthe postoffice. This is particularly gratifying to the person who has a small bill, less than $25. against the Government. The postoffice pays the bill without a lot of redtape and charges it to-Uhe account of the department for which the work was done. On the other hand, the Postoffice Department also collects for the other branches of the Government. These collection* include the issuing of fishing and hunting licenses, the receiving of premiums for the Government insurance departments and the collection of fees of all kinds. Pensions of all kinds are paid through the postoffices.

AI-SO HELP FLOAT AND DELIVER BONDS. When the dominion government wishes to float loans and sell the bonds to the people, the postofflee will receive the applications and later deliver the bonds. Having 6old bonds, the postr.ffice will go further and will rent safety deposit boxes In which to keep them or any other valuables. These boxes sre to be found at almost all of the eight hundred money order offices. Government statistics are obtained through the postoffice too. The population census and figures of tin various stocks of coal, oil and so on are all taken by postal employes. Mall collections and delivery In the cities Is very frequent and thorough and rural free delivery Is being extended. The rural carrier in New Zealand usually rides a motorcycle. Parcels post packages are carried and delivered up to twenty-eight pounds in weight within the dominion to places reached by railroad or steamer and packages weighing up to eleven pounds to most of the foreign countries. Money orders sre issued and paid on both the dominion and foreign countries. Telegraph lines were first opened 1n New Zealand by the provincial governments. which were In operation in 1563. and later the dominion government took over both of them and a private line in Dunedin and began to extend the lines to all parts of the North and South Islands. There are some 14,000 miles of telegraph lines and the rural telephone, lines, which are an extension of the telegraph service. Telegraph offices are located in all of the postofflees of any siz* and the rate* throughout the whole of New Zealand are about 2 cents a word. Telephone service is on the verge of great development In New Zealand. Even in a country only a thousand miles lone, where mail can be sent from one end to the other and delivered In slightly more than two days, there has developed a demand for personal communication by long distance-telephone which is being met by the government in the rapid, extension of Its 175,000 miles of wire In the large centers of population automatic telephones are being Installed to replace the obsolete crank system which Is generally employed. There now are seventy-five central exchanges and 240 sub-exchanges, through which connections can be made with 70.000 telephones In the big cities the overhead wires are giving way to underground circuits. PVBLIC TELEPHONE BOOTHS MAINTAINED. There is little telephoning from the corner drug store in New Zealand, tot the government has installed booths on the street In all the principal towns both in the downtown and the suburban sections, where telephones may be used at charges running from 2 to 6 cents a call. Wireless is still In its infancy in th dominion, although there are powerfu stations at all the big centers and smaller stations at all ports. They art connected with the telegraph and tele phone systems ao messages Intended for ships at sea or for nearby Islands are sent forward promptly. There is aglta-

its kind in the Dominion and contains the offices of the Dominion postoffice department. It is built of stone quarried in the Dominion and covers a full half-bloc St.

tlon now for the formation of wireless instruction courses at one of the four universities of the dominion and for the passage of laws which will regulate the use of radiq and at the same time permit its development in the dominion. New Zealand is connected by cable with Vancouver, B. C., Canada, and with Sydney, Australia. The cable to Vancouver touches Norfolk Island. Fiji and Fanning Island and the deep sea portion of the cable between Vancouver and Fanning Island is said to be the longest in the world. The manner in which the government conducts the railroads in New Zealand Is interesting to the American. Fresh from traveling across the American continent from Chicago to Vancouver. Canada, in luxurious broad gauged cars, with dining cars and comfortable Pullmans, we were rather doubtful of whether we were going to be comfortable when it came time for us to take our first railroad ride in New Zealand. AU the 3.000 miles of railroad in both islands of the Dominion are three feet, six inches wide, the coaches are only fifty feet long and we suspected that we were in for a rough time of it because of the mountainous character of most of the country through which the rails are laid. It was surprising to find that the narrow coaches rode easily, that there was little bounting or rolling and that we were quite comfortable. The narrow gauge is quite '"itable for a country that Is as young os New Zealand and that presents such difficulties of construction. When the Dominion government took over in 1870 the few miles of rails that had been built by provincial governments in Canterbury and Otago and by one private concern it was faced with the problem of extending its lines as rapidly and as economically as possible and over country that presented formidable obstrides, for it involved hui&ingr along 1 the sides of mountains, tunnels, steep grades, bridging deep chasms and filling in low places In the flat country and alongside

Clearance! Mens and Young Men’sVery Fine Pure Wool Suits Sent From Our Third Floor to The Basement Store for Swift Disposal The Savings Are Tremendous!

\wiwy

Men’s All-Wool Trousers Featured at 95 INCLUDING ALL-WOOL SERGES. “ Plenty of patterns—a man can match his suit. Well made—they’ll fit. At this price there is nothing in the city to touch them *'

THE Wm. H. BLOCK CO.

the t;ea. The present standard narrow gauge was the result. It serves admirably. for the longest run Is the 426 miles belwpen Auckland and Wellington, which requires seventeen hours. On this run, too. are the only sleeping cars in all the Dominion. NOT COMFORTABLE SLEEPERS OF C. S. Sleeping cars in N’6w Zealand are not the roomy Pullmans of America. The cars are slightly wider than the chair cars and are divided into compartments, with either two or four berths and a narrow hallway running along one side of the car. When It Is time to make up tae bertts the passengers must either stand in the hall or try and find a place to sit or stand in som£ other coach. The same thing happens in the morning when it Is time to make up the berths. It was a tight fit for the four of us who occupied one of the larger compartments, especially when it is remembered that two of us weigh more than two hundred pounds each. To assure yourself of a seat it is necessary to make reservations in either compartment cars or chair'cars when you buy your ticket. Then you have to be in your seat fifteen minutes before the train departs if you want to hold it down. Other, wise the conductor, or guard, takes up the slip that shows the seat is reserved and it belongs to the first comer. Reservations are not piade f° r seats at way stations, except by telegraphing ahead, and the passengers who come aboard

there usually, take their chances. The government reserves the right to refund your money and keep you off the train if ail the cars are filled. In the sleeping compartments for four there are seats for six when the berths j are up and if the train is crowded pa*- | sengers holding chair car tickets, but not i berth tickets, have a right to vacant seats in the sleeper until bedtime, when they must get out and bunt seats elsewhere. There Is no system on the New Zealand railways for giving passengers hat checks to show they have presented their tickets. Instead, jrou are required to produce your ticket every hour or two, and each time the conductor punches it, so that, if you are going any distance, the ticket looks like a sieve before it finally Is collected. In between times an Inspector comes around and takes a pnnch at the ticket, too. Passengers in the chair cars on a night run have a mlserI able time of it, for this ticket inspection goes on just the same during the night and the conductors and inspectors have to be diplomats of high class to avoid ruffling the feelings of those they wake up so often. I found all of the train crews with which I traveled exceedingly polite in everything. MOST OF STATIONS FRAME AFFAIRS. Most of the stations in New Zetiland are frame affairs. Those at Wellington and Auckland are shabby buildings, that | at Chrlatchurch is but little better, and | only Dunedin, the smallest of the four j big cities, has a commodious affair of I brick and stone. However, no matter j bow small the station I: is liberally deco- ; rated with slgnß, by reading which It is an easy matter to find anything you

want. You can't get on the wrong train if you watch he signs, for not only does one of the siens on the platforms point out the train and tell its destination, but fne coaches themselves are marked on the sides. A bell rings on the platform a half minute before the train pulls out and you have ample time to get aboard. The great British habit of having tea at frequent interval* is recognized by the New Zealand railways and at frequent interval* the trains stop at etntlous long enough for every one to get off and have bis tea at a refreshment counter. It also Is permitted to take the tea Into the

THE BASEMENT STORE

ODD LOTS OF $35, S4O and $45 SUITS, sale price—slo7s

Odd lets, that’s the explanation, but, taken as a whole, the two groups offer wonderfully good choosing, practically every man, regular, stout, short stout o" slim, can find something to his liking. THE CLOTHING BARGAINS OF YOUR LIFE ARE HERE! All this sounds sensational, but. it’s a fact, so why keep it a secret. A wonderful range of choice. Sale price $24.75 and • • $19.75

INDIANA DAILY TIMES, THURSDAY, MAY 26, 1921.

coaches and the cups and saucers nay be taken along to the next atop. Each dish is ttfarked with the name of the station from which it came and It will get back ail right. Great care is exercised by the engine crews to run the trains smoothly. They glide out of the stations and pick up speed without much jerking and stop gradually. The average speed is between twenty-five and thirty miles an hour, alth.t jgh on the level and downgrade they will get up to forty miles without mak ing it inconvenient for the passengers. A block system Is employed to guard against collisions and in the forty years the roads have been In operation there have been few accidents and only alz passengers’ lives lost altogether. The wind caused one accident when it blew over a trait on what is said to be the steepest grade in the world, a three mile strech over the Eimutakas moun tains, a few miles from V/allington, i where the track drops one foot in every fifteen. Special locomotives are used on the mountain and double headers are always used on the upgrade. There is a third jail down the center of the tracks which is gripped by a steel shoe of special construction to act as a brake. These shoes do not survive many trips downgrade with a heavy train. The winds which sweep over the mountains are so violent that special shelter sheds have been built to protect the trains.

BUILT BY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. The Dominion public work* departmentbuilds all railways and turn* them over to the railways department when they are completed. The lines now In operation have eo*t $200,000,000, an average cost of a little more than $60,000 per mile, ineluding all equipment and buildings. The railway* have been looked upon by the government more as adjuncts for the development of the country than as an Investment from which great revenues were to be derived and for many years a profit of 3 per cent was satisfactory, any greater profit being returned to the public In the shape of lower rates At the present time the revenue gives a profit of arcund 4Mi rer cent. The passenger rates are 2 cents a mile. The government la anxious that the people of New Zealand shall see their owq country and also It encourages the yomig.by giving reduced railroad fares to those under ‘>l learning a trad* or business who must travel by train to get to their work. Reduced fares are given students who must travel to and from their classes and In the ca*e of children In the backwoods districts where schools are not available free tickets are Issued up to sixty miles. For the New Zealander who wishes to look at the different sections of hie country and for tourists the government seilc for SBO a ticket which entitles the bolder to travel anywhere he pleases over the lines during a period of seven weeks. Families of not less - than four persons may travel at two-thirds the regular rate when they buy season tickets to go to and from work. There are a score of cases In which reduced rate* are granted, all of them calculated to help the young and those whose finances ara limited. Those who travel from the North to the South Island, or vice versa, are transferred promptly from trains to comfortable steamers, which make the 175 miles between Wellington, in the North Island, and Lyttleton. in the Bouth Island, in overnight runs. There you again connect with the through rails. The government hae established shops in all of the large cities for the making of railroad coaches and locomotives are being made In both the North and South Islands. To operate the railways between 12.000 and 13,000 persons are employed and they are regulated under spe-

■ ■■ ■ - ” ... . - - \ ! • * " . .r, ' . ' ' . ' -v ■ ; nV-j; - ’ -_J " ' -

The telegraph office at Dunedin. Ail methods of communication in New Zealand are under control <.f

cial laws, including a superannuation fund for veteran employes. To serve industries, mostly coal mines, there ara a total of 136 miles of privately owned railway in the dominion. These connect up with the government railways. . . If the postoffice, telegraphs, telephones and railways did not pay a cent of interest on the investment, but only the upkeep, they would be profitable businesses because they belong to the whole people and everybody b the common use of them at coat price. However, these institutions do pay handsomely

BUTLER GIVES CLOSING PROGRAM Last Recitations to Be Held June 7.

Plans for commencement week at Butler College have been announced by Dean James W. Putnam, acting president. Last regular recitations and lecture recitals will be held on Tuesday, June 7. and final examinations will be held June 8,9, 10, 11, and afternoon courses wlu have final examinations June 14. The baccalaureate services will be held in the college chapel at 4 o’clock Sunday, June 12. Ir. William Remfrey Hunt, special lecturer at the College of Mls■ons. and who is a graduate of an English University, a native Englishman who has spent more than twenty years a* a mission worker in China, will deliver the baccalaureate sermon. The annual alumni banquet of the Phllokurlan Literary Society will be help in the campus cafteterla at 6:30 o clock Monday evening, June 13. James Shockley of Jamestown, president of the society, will act as toastmaster Cla** day exercises will be held at, 10 o’clock Wednesday morning, June 15, in the college chapel. In the afternoon there will be luformal class reunions, Including the silver reunion of the class of 1806 end the annual alumnae picnic end bueinees meeting of the Butler Alumnae Association on the campus in the evening. The sixty-seventh annual commencement exerclsee will be held “under the maplee*’ on the campus at 10 o'clock Thursday, June 16- Seventy student* will be candidates for degrees. Dr. Ernest Fremont Tittle, pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Evanston, 111., will be the speaker.

ODD LOTS OF $45, SSO and $55 SUITS, sale price—so4.7s

the postoffice department. There are 14,000 miles of telegraph lines and the rural telephone lines whioh ore an extension of the telegraph service.

and at prices much below what Is charged for the same service in the United States. The reason is because the public 1b not asked to pay Interest on watered stock.

BASEMENT STORE

Mignonette Dresses That would be worth M, Q Q $20.00 and $25.00 dp fw For Women only they are a- ~/ jg and Misses trifle 3oiled. The qualities of mignonette are widely known for their slenderizing effects, for the appropriateness for summer wear, and these are very attractive. Os course they are a trifle soiled, but that doesn’t affect their intrinsic properties in the least; $20.00 and $25.00 qualities; Friday only * .s4*9B 4 Clearance of Coats For Women and Misses Earlier-in-the-season coats like these \ were worth SIO.OO and $12.50 — 1 —JOHNNY COATS t —BELTED COATS / £*% —SHORT COATS —SPORTS COATS |L gPm U —WRAPPY COATS Tj Jf .*7O —COATS WITH POUCH POCKETS > T MATERIALS Polo, velours, burellas, l mjS serges, etc. i COLORS —Rose, Copen, tan, navy, etc.— ] while the lot lasts .... • * /

A Sale of Millinery

T

Domestics and Bedding

(Eighteen hundred yards! DRESS GINGHAM, good dualities, plaids, stripes and plain colors; extra 1 A- - (Twenty-four hundred yards) PERCALE, yard wide, good, heavy quality, light and dark colors; checks, figures and stripes; 25c qual- ...15c (Fifteen hundred yards) NOVELTY VOILES, 39 inches wide, new choice patterns, small and medium figures, various colors; Frl- Ort day, special C (Eighteen hundred yards) AMERICAN PRINTS, black and white checks, light and dark blues, also light backgrounds with figures anji stripes; extra spe- j /\ cial IUC (Fourteen hundred yards) NAINSOOK, yard wide; extra special *tq 6 yards for * SfC LONGCLOTH, yard wide, fine soft chamois finish, qq 6 yards for /OC

THE Wm>AJSLOCK CQ

Taxpayers Object to SBO,OOO Natatorium Special to The Times. SOUTH BEND, Ind., May 26.—A "luxury” in the shape of an SBO,OOO natatorium is proposed by the city council hare but is meeting with much opposition, as the city is heavily in debt. Both men and women are taking an active part in the fight against the expenditure, which has passed its first reading in the council.

Human Flag to Mark Event at Columbus Special to The Times. COLUMBUS, Ind., May 26.—Plans are under way for a county-wide Fourth of July celebration to be held here July 3. Each of the fourteen township* us the county will be given a park color in the program that i* being planned. A large human flag to contain persons from all parts of the county will be one of the features. Persons from thirteen of the townships will make up the stripes of the flag, each township having a stripe. The people from-'the different townships will wear red or white scarfs, according to the color of the strip* assigned the township. All residents of the county who have reached the age of 21 during the last year will be introduced into the responsibilities of citizenship during the ceremonies. Miss Vida Newsom, H. D. Sander* and H. Paul Douglass a*e in charge of the preparations for the celebration.

* QQr* ps Values

Banded Sailors, Patent Milan, though Straws, Etc. A large assortment trimmed and tailored Hats for Miss and Matron. Children’s Hats, ages to 4 years, trimmed and banded. Other Remarkable Values in the Sale at $1.99 and $2.99

WHITE LINGERIE CLOTH, yard wide, for dainty undergarments and children’s and Infants’ wear; last years price 55q, spe- nn cial CiO C (Fifteen hundred yards) “INDIAN HEAD,” yard no wide, extra special.... UuC SILKOLINE. yard wide, for summer hangings and comforts; neat printed designs in various colors; ex- tyt tra special CilC (Twenty-five hundred yards) UNBLEACHED MUSLIN, yard wide, good, heavy quality, for sheets, bolsters, etc.; former 20c in quality IUC UNBLEACHED SHEETING MUSLIN, 40 inches wide; heavy, durable quality; for sheets; extra | q BLEACHED MUSLIN, yard wide (10-yard limit), extra special I&2C (Nine hundred yards) BLEACHED SHEETING, 2& yards wide; 75c qual- Af\ ity, at 4“C

D’ANDREA AIDE DEATH VICTIM ‘Bloody Nineteenth* Political Feud Renewed. CHICAGO, May 26.—Feudists of the “bloody nineteenth’’ ward reached out and claimed another victim early today. Michael Laceart, lieutenant to the late Anthony D’Andraa, political chieftain who was assassinated recently, was riddled with bullets In his saloon. Laccari, police said, was a fend victim, the enemies killing him in reprisal for deaths in their ranks. Laccari, following the murder of D’Andrea, moved out of the “bloody nineteenth,” but this failed to save his life.

Sift Courthouse Job in Pike County At the request of the State board of tax commissioners the State board of accounts is investigating the construction of a courthouse In Petersburg, Pike County. Early last year th* commissioners of that county came before the tax board and asked permission to Issue $150,000 in bonds. This petition was granted and the work started. According to members of the tax board one story of the building has been completed and the work stopped because of lack of funds. The commissioners are now asking SIOO,OOO additional'to complete the work. Members of the tax board state that It was their Intention that tn* entire courthouse should be built for $150,000.

(Eight hundred ' yards) BLEACHED SHEETING, 2 yards wide, good, heavy quality; extra spe- o| cial OL C (Five hundred yards) PILLOW TUBING, yard wide; 40c quality, “SEAMLESS” SHEETS, fall bleached of heavy sheeting, 3-inch hem; extra qq (One hundred) BED PILLOWS, new feather filling, art tick covering, choice patterns; sl.lo quality, nr“ each I DC FEATHER PROOF TICKING, staple blue stripes (10-yard limit), extra spe- nr cial, yard LoC COTTON BUNTING FLAGS, size 35x24 inches, mounted on staff (while 3 dozen | r lost), each I DC (Fcur) SXB-FOOT FLAGS,! complete with. 8-foot polqj ard rope, <£l each sl*o*l

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