Reasonable Cause For Grumbling.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 532, 12 January 1882, Page 2

Reasonable Cause For Grumbling.

' An Auckland telegram published in our issue of yesterday, calls attention to the inadequate provision existing at Auckland for the fumigation of letters Arriving by the mail steamers flying the bellow flag. Those steamers it is scarcely necessary to say, are quarantined, and before the mails are allowed to leave they are very properly subjected to a disinfecting process. But ?;he appliances at present in use for that purpose are of such a wretched description, that a most vexatious and wholly delay is occasioned to the persons to whom the letters, etc., are addressed. On the last occasion that a mail steamer was quarantined the mails were detained for a clear two days after the vessel’s arrival, and on the present occasion theZealandia’s mailshave been detained a pr'vokingly long time. The postal authorities cannot be charged with remissness or indifference in connection with the matter. They hive repeatedly brought it under the notice of Government, but up to the present time nothing has been done to remedy • the evil. Seeing that the erection of a proper smoke house would be covered by a very trifling outlay, we-.consider ithat the powers that be, ought, in justice to the hundreds of persons who are anxiously expecting news from Home by leach incoming mail, to provide proper i disinfecting appliances. The delays in - connection with the mails, which cannot ibe helped, are quite sufficient, as it is without the recipent of letters from Home being put to a further and easily avoidable delay.