LETTER-BOXES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 797, 21 April 1910, Page 4

LETTER-BOXES.

i . _o _— FOR OFFICES AND THE HOME. WHAT THE POSTAL DEPARTMENT . CONTEMPLATES. . ' > It is surprising how conservative New Zealanders are in the matter of providing : slots and letter-boxes in their front doors for the reception of mail matter. Ono can go from ono end. of a business thoroughfare to the other, and : find* com- . paratively few who have had the- forethought "to provide this trifling conveni- ' ence, which is so general in England European cities. Tot from some points of view the letter-box, both in the horns ■■: and the offico is most important and it would save both the Department and the individual it serves much time'and trouble were such a convenience provided. It has been pointed out that on Wednesday afternoons, when a great number of ■'. retail business places are closed, the letters and papers intended for such places have to be returned to the post office,and taken out the next day again by the postman beeauw there is no one to receive them and no safe receptacle In which they could be placed. This means a good deal of unnecessary labour for tha officers of the Department. The case is even worse in respect to private residences. At present the postman blow* his whistle or knocks (or does both) and t&en haa, to wait to! someone to answer' the door before he can. continue on his rdnnd. Most people know what happen* i inside, when a knock is heard at tb» front door, particularly in the forenoon. If : there is a servant she may be out of hearing at the first knock. A second ' one is almost invariably needed before the postman is relieved of his letters. . Where there is no the mistress ■ of the house usually jumps to the. con- .. elusion that the knock means an. early , caller, and she hastily doffs her apron, ' and dashes to the nearest mirror to. .-, straighten her hair, before answering .; the door's appeal. Meanwhile, the post- ', man (who is prevented by regulation ; : from slipping letters under': the door) ; where that is possible, awaits the lady's . pleasure with.a patience born, of:experience. ■ i What such delays mean in the course of ». year has never been computed, but one can easilv gather what an immenso saving it would mean to the Department if each house was supplied with its own letter-box. There is an old saying • in. ■ . the service that the introduction -of the penny-post into England made Birmingham, by which it is conveyed tbat when the new postage was inaugurated people were compelled to provide letter-, • boxes, and the orders for them were so numerous that it kept the manufactories ■ •- of Birmingham busy for quite a long time. Compulsion'in this matter is not proposed yet in New Zealand, but it is understood that before long the Department will be in-a position to frame a proposal by which commercial men and householders will be enabled to install.. front-door letter receptacles at a minimum cost. ■ ■. ' -.--. ■