THREAT TO CEASE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 8, 26 January 1942, Page 5

THREAT TO CEASE

THE RURAL DELIVERY SERVICE

IMPOSSIBLE TO CARRY ON

DEPARTMENT'S APATHY

In spite of representations by Mr W. Sullivan, M.P., nothing has been received from the Post-master-General (Hon. P. C. Webb) with reference to the position of the R.D. Service for this district.

It has now become impossible for the present contractor, Mr J. G. Dockray, to continue under the conditions imposed by the tri-weekly delivery. The following iletter has been despatched to the local postmaster setting out the position: —

"I very much regret that I have to write to you again regarding the R.D. service, but the position has become impossible for me to carry on much longer. At present both my wife and myself are working 14 hours a day without being able to stop for a meal; Youi will appreciate the strain of this working six days a week and with the approach of winter the hours of work will make delivery impossible. I dk» not feel inclined to imperil the health of both my wife and myself and I suggest that the full service be restored or the size of the run decreias!ed. Unless a reply is received to my previous correspondence and something done to meet the! position I will not be able, to run after the 31s?t instant. J. G. Dockray. A Double Burden From the above it will be seen that the contractor does not intend to carry on the service after Monday next unless he is met. At present he states that since "losing the services' of his van and faced with the impossibility of replacing him, he has been forced to undertake the whole run himself, with the assistance of his wife. This means splitting the district up into two areas and running the single van himself.

Tradesraens' Deliveries ' The position is further aggravated by the fact that the cut in petrol also threw the responsibility of bread, meat and grocery delivery on the R.D. until to-day the household commodi- • ties htave increased' 400 per cent. The round is thus prolonged and! the whole burden, thrown on a singjte truck, which covers one of the largest districts on the postal schedule. The contractor claims that by threatening to cease operations he is but forestalling a complete breakdown, which was inevitable if he was expected to carry on. By giving the miatter publicity he feels that he is doing the right thing by farmers who have every right to know the facts.