CHANGES DECIDED ON

Chronicle (Levin), 21 June 1946, Page 8

CHANGES DECIDED ON

—Press Association

By Telearaph-

WELLINGTON, June 20. To eonforxn with hours now observed in most places by industrial undertakings, wholesale premises, trading banks, most shops and offices, and generally to provide greatei- convenience for inembers of the public under the new shoppingdiours, important ehanges have been dfeeided upon in rggard to hours of public attendance at post offices. Tlie new arrangement comes into efOect during the weelc eomniencing July 1.

In making this statement today, the Acting Postmaster-General, Hon. F. Jones, said money order and savings bank accounting branehes, would be elosed altogether on Saturdavrs, except in general at those places where a fiveday week is not observed by the business community. Instead a Friday evening attendance for the transaction of all classes of post office business, would be instituted. The Minister said that on Saturdays the telegraph and postal counters at tlie fcur main centres would be open as usual except that the postal counter would close at 11.30 a.m. instead of . 12.30 p.m. as at present. In other eities and larger towns a telegraph and postal counter attendance from 9 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. would be observed. At less important towns post -office counters would not be open to the public on Saturdays but the usual after liour facilities would be available for telegrams and tolls. Telephone exchanges, telegraph operating rooms and mail rooms would fniict.ion as usual on Saturdays. Postmen's deliveries (for letters only) would be performed. At places where the business community do not observe Saturday morning elosing, post office counters would be open for transaction of all classes of business but would close at. 11.30 a.m Sucli offices would not be open on Friday evenings. "This is, of course, only the broad outline of the ehanged hours," the Minister said. "Tt will be appreeiated that eircumstances verv considerablv as between one place and another and local conditions inust necessarily play a part in detcrmining the arrangements to be made at any particular place." In* eacli district publicity would be given locally to the new arrangements" and notic.es showing anv ehanges in attendance would soon be on display at all post offices. ■ Generally speaking no ehanges were proposed at small cmmtrv offices not affected by the change in shopping hours.