A MATTER OF MAILS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1998, 4 March 1914, Page 4

A MATTER OF MAILS

v AUCKLAND AND WELLINGTON. At tho monthly mooting of the Council of the CJutmbcr ot Commerce, Mr .T. Ballinger mentioned that Auckland had tho advantage over Wcllingtoii in respect to tho closing times ot mails, aud pointed out that with regard to the night mail, which leaves both Wellington and Auckland at D,lO p.m., tho mail closed an hour before that timo in Wellington, and only half an hour before in Auckland. The postal authorities, on being consulted yesterday, said that tho explanation of the apparent material dilferenco was very Bimple. Tho 0.10 p.m. express leaving Auckland is the express to which tho Kailway Travelling Post Offwo is attached j consequently, juy correspondence for the south unsorted may he handed over to the postal agents on tho train. Tho Tailway station at Auckland is immediately behind tho Post Office; wlioieas the Thorndon Sla> tion here is a considerable distance away. Tho train leaving Wellington at midday is Hie ono to ■fthich ihe Railway Travelling Post Office is attnched, and that at 9.10 p.m. line not a JR.T.P.Os attached to it consequently all mails hive to bo made up and rloscd before they leave tho Chief Post Office Also, it happens that when mail matter for the north is being handled in Wellington, mail matter for the south is being handled at tho same, time. This means that tho sorleis have a much larger amount of mail matter to cope with, and consequently require t> longer time in nhich to overtake the nork. The mails aro rcQuhcd to be at tho Thorndon Station fweirf.y minutes before tho departure of the trains. The conditions, therefore, arc altogether different from thojo existing at Auckland. Tho mttier, however, of dosing the mails at Wellington for the north a little Jater than at present ia under consideration.