MAILS IN STRIKE TIME.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1960, 17 January 1914, Page 6

MAILS IN STRIKE TIME.

THE DISLOCATION.

HOW DEPARTMENT MET IT,

(By TeltjTsoh.—Preai iaioolatloa,) Christchurch, January 16. Speaking to a reporter to-day, tho Hon. B. Efeaton Khodes, PostmasterGeneral, gavo some indication, in the course of an interview, of tho measures that had to. be taken by the Department during tho recont "strike "Tho Industrial crisis had tho effect of dist organising tho Department's services in all directions," ho said. "Not only wero tho effects 'felt locally, but they were ■extended to tho mail steamers, which wero scheduled to sail for America, *Australia, and tho United Kingdom, l'ho wero particularly felt at Wellington. The Moans, for San Francisco, was detained for iivo days, and communication with. Sydney was sustained from Wellington direct only, the Tteamor services from tho Bluff and 'Auckland being suspended. "Tho coastal traffio was reduced to comparatively few boats, and, as far as the Wellington-Lyttclton ferry service was concerned, slowor steamers — Vho Pateeua and Mapourika. and the email Queen of the South—had to bo' Employed. Owing to these substitutions for tho Maori and (for some part of tho timo) for tho Waliinc, mails arriving at Wollington and at Lyttelton missed the expresses—not only the first express at Lyttelton, but, on many occasions, tho second express also. "Tho Auckland district also suffered to a great extent, although overy effort was mado by engaging small steamers to provide for keeping up mail communication with places north of Auckland. The Nelson connection had to be maintained by subsidising tho Nikau. This small steamer made three'trips a week between Wellington and Nelson, via l'icton. Tho Gisbomo service was suspended for somo time. During tho first part of the 6trike. Messrs. Richardson Bros.' steamers from Napior were kept running, but, after a week or so, the men came out, and thero was no service sither from Napier or from Auckland down tho East Coast, except by the small steamer Tangaroa, which onco a week managed to make a trip from Gisborne to Napier.' , "For a considerable timo there was no steamer communication with tho West Coast of tho South Island, and consequently very heavy mails usually forwarded to , Wellington for dispatch by steamer had to be. diverted to" Christchurch and 'transmitted by coach and train to tlieir destination The contractor for tho conveyance of mails at tlio railhead rosp ,to -the occasion, and, in spite of material increases of mail matter, and particularly of parcels, he carried through thoßorvice in a very satisfactory manner, and when necessary ■provided a special conveyaivce to meet tho difficulty. Even with this provision, on many occasions a portion of tho hamper mails had to be left over for carnage on the following day. In many other directions also special coaches and conveyances had to bo engaged in order to keep the mail services running na closely as possible to time-table. "The parcels post was affected to a very considerable extent, as many articles were forwarded through the post which tho public Had not "hitherto ; thought of sending otherwise than by steamer. At the request of a local body in Dunedin, it was determined, during tho period in question, to extend the weight limit of parcels from 111b. to 211b. for parcels served by rail and steamer. This concession, was. very readily .availed of, and is still in force. For the four weeks ended December 2." last the number of extra-weight parcels posted at Christchurcli amouoted:' to 860, "at"Dunedin 732, and at Wellington 1098. Tho additional cost to the Department; caused by these special arrangements," said the Minister, "is not yet available, but it will amount to a considerable sum."