DAMAGE TO MAKURA'S MAILS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1724, 15 April 1913, Page 4

DAMAGE TO MAKURA'S MAILS.

. * ; MUCH EXAGGERATED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) ' Auckland, April 14, Previous reports of the- damage dono by the fire amongst tlio mails on board tho Makura on her way from Sydney to Auckland havo apparently been very much exaggerated, for, on investigation of tho mail matter by the postal authorities, it was found that only two bags of newspapers and one bag of mixed mails had been totally destroyed. It is true that tho Secretary of the Post Office received a wireless message from tho Makura stating that SO bogs had been 'damaged, but this count was due to ft mistako, by the ship's officers, owing to tho fact that a number of empty bags were reckoned.in tho total! The true position of affairs was royealed when a couut-was mado by tho sorters at tin Auckland Post Offico and the waybill reforred to. Details of tho damage were then found to be as follow:—Two bags of newspapers from London Auckland, totally destroyed; ono bag of Italian letters and newspapers, marked "Brindisi to Auckland," totally destroyed; twelvo bags of newspapers, marked "London to Auckland," partially burned and wet. Only the contents ot three of tho lastnamed bags,' when dried, can be sent to the- addressees, and tho addresses on tho remaining nine aro beyond recognition. One bay of mixed- mail, marked "Paris to Auckland," was slightly damaged. It will bo'possible to forward most of tho matter in this bag to tho addressees, as tho addresses aro nearly all recognisable. All tho mail matter which was destroyed was for Auckland, but tlio wholo of the letters' nnd papers for other parts of Now Zealand were intact. The registered mail' matter for Auckland, which consisted of letters containing bank orders, money orders, and other documents of value, has firrircd without damage.