340 



TRINIDAD : Til EX AND NOW. 



master-General, who ably strove for and obtained 

 them until at the present time no postal system in 

 the West Indies can equal it. 



There is no part tin Trinidad, no matter how re- 

 mote, that has not been reached by regular postal com- 

 munication, in most places by establishing a Post 

 Office, and where this is not at present possible by 

 rural letter carriers, who distribute and collect letters 

 as they pass along. 



I remember many parts of the colony wiiere 

 there was only a fortnightly service, and it was con- 

 sidered a great stride when that was improved to 

 once, then twice, then three times each week — every 

 Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Port-of-Spain ? 

 with Tuesdays and Saturdays for the return jour- 

 neys. There are a few places still out of the line, but 

 what I have shown is, to me who remember the old 

 state of affairs and the difficulties which had to be 

 surmounted, proof of a great stride in the march 

 of progress. 



The Post Office must appear expensive when we 

 take into account (that which many people are not 

 aware of) the subsidy paid to the West India and 

 Panama Telegraph Company by Trinidad (I do not 

 know the exact amount) as well as the whole pay- 

 ment made for the coastal service viz : £7,250, and 

 £18,000 paid as a subsidy to the Royal Mail Company 

 is all charged to the Post Office. Is it any wonder 

 that our Postmaster-Oeneral has often to refuse — for 

 want of funds — to give to a deserving rural district a 

 postal serivce of the simplest kind ? 



