POSTAGE CONCESSION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 130, 1 March 1940, Page 7

POSTAGE CONCESSION

LETTERS TO OVERSEAS TROOPS

NEW SERIES OF CHARGES

The following postage rates liavc been fixed upon for correspondence addressed to New Zealand and all other soldiers, sailors and airmen of the British Empire on Active Service: — Letters (by surface transport): The inland letter rate (2d for the oz and Id for each succeeding V 2 oz) will apply. By air on Empire Air Service: Is (id each %oz (no change). Newspapers: The British Empire rat,e O'od for each Uoz) will apply. Parcels: Standard charges as under: Parcels not more than Hlb in weight Is fid. Parcels not more than 71b in weight (maximum) :is. The rates mentioned will apply to members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force on their proceeding overseas, to New Zealand Air Force trainees who proceed to Canada, and to New Zealanders who ai - e serving with the British Forces (for example, New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force), as well as to all soldiers in the Empire on Active Service (for example, soldiers of the British Army in France). Parcels over 71b in weight may be sent to New Zealanders and other men of the Armed Forces overseas provided the sender pays the charge shown in the Guide for the country concerned and provided the maximum weight laid down in the Guide is not exceeded. In the meantime, over-weight parcels (meaning those exceeding 71b but not exceeding 11 lb in weight) addressed to any of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force overseas should be charged at fis each, parcels over 111!) in weight not to he accepted. Tt is hoped to further reduce parcel charges following approaches that have recently been made to n number of countries concerned over sens. Post Oil ices will be infoimed later of any additional concessions granted. Custom? declarations should continue to be required in the absence of any instruction to the contrary. During the last war difficulties arose in obtaining shipping space for parcels and newspapers for the Expeditionary Force:, and this fact has been borne in mind in fixing the parcel-post maximum weight at 711) and in retaining the British Empire rate for newspapers. The public can assist the Post Office greatly in keeping the volume of mails within reasonable limits by using newspapers for packing parcels, which, in all cases should be very carefully made up to withstand a long journey overseas in bags. A faultily packed parcel, it should be pointed out as opportunity offers, particularly one containing any liquid, might well be responsible if damaged lor spoiling a whole bag of parcels for our Fighting men. Senders are recommended also to enclose in every parcel a slip to indicate the name and address of the addressee and the name and address of the sender as ins*--ance against the possibility that the outside label or address of the parcel mav become lost in transit. Some members of the public may desire to use the Empire Air Service for forwarding letters to members of the Expeditionary Force. Any such letters tendered for air despatch will require to be prepaid at the air rate fixed for England, that is, Is 6d each half ounce. Full consideration has been given to the question of effecting a reduction in air mail postage on letters for soldiers, but it is regretted that no reduction is practicable in view of the need for restricting the weight of air mails to keep the bulk within the capacity of the curtailed service now operating. Inland rates continue to apply to correspondence (including parcels) for soldiers whose address is c/o Defence Headquarters, Wellington, and for sailors on British warships in New Zealand waters.