The Times of Wednesday urges the adoption by our Post-Office
of the excellent system under which goods can he ordered to come by post against "cash on delivery." The system exists in every other country in Europe, in India, and in the Colonies. Every one who has lived in France will remember the immense convenience of the arrangement. You order a hat in Paris, and instead of having to inclose stamps or make out postal orders, you pay the postman at the door when the hat is delivered, and he, through the office, remits the money to the shop. The system is, indeed, the natural complement of the parcel post. The arrangement, as the Times points out, would be specially serviceable to the small farmer or small manufacturer in the country who is trying to establish direct dealing with the consumer. "With the 'cash on delivery' parcel post they would be able to build up an independent business of their own in which the dealer would play no part." Why the Poet-Office refuses to adopt a system so universal, it would be hard to say, especially as it would both directly and indirectly increase the profits of the Department.
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