An excerpt from the Report of the Post and Telegraph Department of Queensland for 1893 on the introduction of the Queensland Parcel Post Service in 1892
THE PARCEL POST.
"The Post and Telegraph Act of 1891" having authorised the establishment of the Parcel Post in Queensland, the necessary accommodation was provided at the Chief Office by the adaptation of two rooms vacated by the Post Office Stores on amalgamation with those of the Telegraph Branch. The requisite alterations were made at a very moderate cost; and this, together with providing the necessary material for carrying on the business, has been almost the only expense to the Department in connection with the inauguration of this branch of the Postal Service, no additional accommodation having been required at any of the country offices. The officers at the Chief Office whom it has been necessary to detail for parcel work have been provided by a re-arrangement of the staffs of the Dead Letter and Registration Offices. The premises have proved very suitable for the purpose, as they adjoin the mail rooms, thus affording the desired facilities for working the parcels in connection with the ordinary mails, saving both labour and expense; they they are also conveniently situated for the public, the entrance being a continuation of the verandah used for the purpose of posting all other mail matter.
Inland and Intercolonial parcels were first received on the 14th of January, those for the United Kingdom on the 6th of February, and for Foreign places, vid London, on the 1st of April; the only intercolonial exceptions being New South Wales, where the necessary legislative sanction had not been obtained, and New Zealand, where arrangements had to be made for a distinct sea service, involving a little further delay. Direct parcel exchanges have now been arranged with India, Ceylon, and Egypt; negotiations are also pending with the Straits Settlements and the Cape Colony, which will probably be successful as soon as the necessary sea transit can be arranged. The Canadian Office has also been written to, with a view to the establishment of a direct parcel exchange, vid Vancouver, instead of through London as at present. The only decided refusal to exchange by a direct service has been from Batavia; and although so near to our shores, any parcels for that country would have to be sent vid London and Holland. However, under these circumstances, the business is likely to be very small.
In view of the inquiries frequently made, it may be stated that the United States have no Parcel Post with the Australasian Colonies; but at the last Post and Telegraph Conference of the Colonies it was decided that action should be taken to induce that country to join in a system which is now almost universal.
Although the limitation of the Inland Parcel Service to those offices that are served by railway or steamer has to some extent curtailed the system and interfered with its growth, and the same may be said of the exchange with the United Kingdom and Foreign countries generally, confined as it is at present to one mail a month as compared with the weekly mails of the Southern Colonies, yet there has been the compensating advantage of a minimum cost of transit, giving as a result, probably, a greater net profit than would have resulted from a more extended but more expensive system.
As the result of the great care exercised in the packing and transmission of parcels those marked "fragile" having the protection of the baskets, &c., provided for that purpose there have been very few complaints of damage. This is particularly gratifying when the extent of seaboard and railway traversed, and the frequent transhipments involved in the conveyance of parcels to distant places, such as Croydon, Burketown, or even Hughenden or Longreach, is considered. It should also be stated that no parcels have been lost while in the custody of the Department.
It may be claimed for the Parcel Post system that it has proved, despite the severe commercial depression, not only a useful adjunct, but also an actual incentive to business, and the following figures will prove conclusively the growth of the system since its initiation and its advance in the estimation of the public of this Colony. It is confidently anticipated that, with any return of commercial prosperity and increased activity in business, a more rapid development will take place, more particularly as the neighbouring Colony of New South Wales has now provided pro by legislative enactment for an intercolonial exchange of parcels, which will probably be brought into operation at an early date.
The annual statistical return shows that at the Chief Parcel Office there were received over the counter from the public during the year 25,604 parcels, weighing 96,475 lb., and bearing postage to the extent of £1,594 9s. 2d. If to this is added the amount to the credit of the office on parcels from the United Kingdom-viz., £210 7s. 3d. the earnings of the Chief Office alone on account of this new business will be seen to be £1,804 16s. 5d.; credit must also be taken for £839 3s. 8d. collected by the officers of the branch for Customs duty on parcels received from beyond the Colony. In addition to parcels received over the counter, 9,061 were received from other Queensland offices, 1,716 from other Colonies, and 1,346 British and Foreign parcels; of the parcels received from beyond the Colony the declared value was £5,304 18s. 3d. Twenty-nine thousand five hundred and fifteen parcels were sent from Brisbane to other offices in the Colony, 904 to other Colonies, and 835 to British and Foreign places. Parcels beyond the Colony had the declared value of £1,258 11s. 9d. Five thousand three hundred and forty-nine (5,349) parcels were delivered in the city and suburbs by contract with the City and Suburban Parcel Delivery Company, and 1,102 over the counter at the office.
The totals dealt with in in the whole Colony, as far as can be ascertained, are as follow:-For delivery within the Colony, 58,988 parcels, weighing 147,174 lb., and bearing postage to the amount of £2,376 17s. 7d. Intercolonial parcels, 1,038; weight, 2,826 lb.; postage, £79 13s. 7d. British and Foreign parcels, 1,338, weighing 3,490 lb., and bearing postage £140 12s. 2d. Received from beyond the Colony 1,730 parcels, weighing 5,662 lb.; and 2,557 British and Foreign, weighing 7,079 lb. Total Customs collections, £1,050 8s. 9d.
The Chief Office dealt with 28,676 parcels, and all the other parcel offices in the Colony 36,985 parcels. It is somewhat remarkable that, although rather more than half the parcels were dealt with out of Brisbane, yet the weight of country parcels amounted to only 59,330 lb., while those of the Chief Office weighed 106,901 lb.; and, of course, the postage collected in Brisbane was proportionately heavy, being £1,594 19s. 2d. as against £1,002 4s. 2d. in the country.
In addition to the £2,597 collected for postage, the balance to the credit of Queensland on the exchange of parcels with other countries was £329, making the total earnings on Postal account £2,926; and, including the Customs duty, £1,050, the total revenue collected was £3,976.
