PARCEL POSTAGE ON THE MAIN TRUNK LINE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2416, 23 March 1915, Page 7

PARCEL POSTAGE ON THE MAIN TRUNK LINE

DISCUSSION BY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. : At the meeting of the Council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, held yesterday afternoon, the following letter was received from the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department on the subject of parcel post facilities on the Main Trunk line:— "I have the honour to refer to the inquiry made by you at this 'office today why post parcels generally are not dispatched by the train for Auckland leaving Wellington in the evening. As you are no doubt aware there is no i.travelling, post office attached to the evening train. There is not accommodation in the guard's van for an unlimited quantity of mail matter; and if the Department were to undertake the dispatoh by the evening train of all ordinary parcels posted after the departure of the 1.10 p.m. train, it would |be necessary to engage a special Z wagon at a cost of over £3000 per annum. I may point out that the parcel post rates are now so low that the expenditure of..such large- amount- to accelerate the' delivery of parcels by a few hours is not warranted. It may bo mentioned that the Department reserves to itself the right to delay the transmission of parcels in the event of circumstances warranting such a course. But if the sender of a parcel is desirous that it be sent forward by the first possible dispatch he can assure this being done by paying a special express transmit fee of 6d. This fee, it will be admitted, has been fixed at a very low rate."

Mr. Thos. Ballinger pointed out that the night mail was regarded as the chief one in Auckland, and if they had a van for parcels post at Auckland there should be one on the 9 o'clock (p.m.) train, leaving Wellington. Mr. Jas. M'Lellan thought that the mid-day train was the best one for Wellington. But if Auckland had a parcels van on the night train as well as one on the mid-day express it was good ground for them to ask for the same consideration. The chairman was inclined to the opinion that there was only one van for parcels post each way, and. the cost of attaching another van each way (£6OOO per annum) was not justified. It was suggested that more informa•tfon be obtained on the point before any further action be taken.