AUSTRALIA'S OVERSEA MAILS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 8, 4 October 1917, Page 6

AUSTRALIA'S OVERSEA MAILS

■ POSITION ACUTE. The position with regard to the dispatch of Australian mails to Great Britain and the Expeditionary Forces has become exceedingly acute (states the Melbourne' correspondent of the 'Sydney Morning Herald" 6n September 10 last). The Postmaster-General (Mr. Webster) states that everything- possible is being done to advise the public of the date on which vessels will leave Australia, carryin" mails, but this-is-so uncertain that in some instances it is impossible to Rive very long notice. ~The normal avenues for the disnatch of mails to Great Britain has been almost closed, and the only sure way of getting ltfters tb tbeir destination is to dispatch them via America or on a transport. The space available on these vessels, however, is hmiten, and mails accumulate faster than they can lie dispatched. .. There is at present. 000-. tons of mails wniting to be sent, and the space available on the next ship to leave is limited to 400 tons. The next mail after that will Bo the Christmas mail, and it is iuilinssiblD to say yet how that will be dealt wit'b It looks as if n considerable restrieiion will have to be placed on all parcel mails from Australia, and that this restriction will have to be applied -to "the Christmas mails. - Persons desirous of sending presents to men in. the trenches should send the money to the Australian Comforts Fund, London, with instructions what to buy, and the nameend address of tho person to whom it is to be Sent. Mr. Webster explains that }t is impracticable to send parcel mails via America because of Custom 3 delays, and the prohibitive cost.