CURTAILED POSTAL SERVICES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 272, 6 August 1918, Page 7

CURTAILED POSTAL SERVICES

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE INTERESTED

CORRESPONDENCE ON THE QUESTION

-On July 2 the secretary of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce (Mr. H. D. Vickery) wrote as follows to the Secrotary of the Post and Telegraph Department regarding tho _ rccent eomon-hat drastic curtailments in postal and telegraph services— "Boar Sir,—Tho details of tho curtailuioni: of postal services wore disoussed at tho meeting of tho counoil of my chamber which was held yesterday, and I was directed respectfully to bring to your notice the views of the chamber regarding, somo of tho restrictions proposed and now in operation. In doing so, my council desires me to make it ciear that it realises that curtailment is inevitable, and wishes you to understand that tho suggestions offered are not made m a •spirit'of cavilling. "With regard to the Main Trunk mails, the hour ot closing for ordinary mail for which is 10 a.m., tjie train departing at 12.45 p.m., my council ventures io suggest that this. restriction will be particularly hard on tho business community, I' am requested to suggest whether the time for the closing of maus could not bo extended to 10.80 a.m. It is presumed that the registered mail will close an hour Ciirlior—that is, at 9 a.m.— and as tho Post Office will not be open for the transaction of public businoss until !) a.m. my council presumes tliat it will not be- possible to forward any registered' matter on the day on which the train leaves. If tho ordinary mail were made to closo at 10.30 a.m. this difficulty would bo obviated. "With regard ,to tha New Plymouth mail train, the effect of making tho hour of closing 8 p.m. on the previous day is that It is practically impossible to forward replies to correspondence received by "the incoming' mail on tho same evening, as tho time betwoen the sorting of tho incoming mail to private boxes and 8 p.m. makes this impracticable-un-less arrangements wero made to send the letter to the train next morning, it the time for closing can not bo extended beyond 8 p.m., would it be possible to take late fee letters up to a later hour in the evening? It is quito realised that letters can be forwarded by tho Main Trunk train the next day, but tlieno would not reaeh New llymouth until the succeeding day. t ~ "It was thought also, that it would be a gr'efit convenience to the mercantile community, and possibly notunduly inconvenience tho Post Office, if tho time ior closing the ordinary mail for the south could bo half an hour lator, that is, 5.30 p.m. With regard generally to mails per steamer closing three houis before sailing time, I was directed to ask whether this could not bo modiheU. My council particularly desires me to say that it realises that the curtailments are made in the interest or economy and from necessity, and trusts yon will accept tho suggestions in the spirit in-which they -are made." - To. tho above the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department replied oa Saturday last:— - "Sir,-I beg to refer to your letter of July 2 about "the curtailment of postal services., a reply to which has been de-. lr.yed pending a trial being given to the new arrangements made after discussion of tho mutter with you by (he Chiof Postmaster, .Wellington. The. arrangements -wore as follow —Tho time of closing of the Mam Trunk mail was, as desired,' altered from. 10 a.m. to .10,30 a.m., lato foe 11.30 a.m. The council ot your chamber was • apparently under a misapprehension in regard to; tegutereel tatters." liegistered letters are accepted up till the hour of closing of the ordinary letter mail, not only.for places served by tho Main Trunk railway, but for others, including; Australia and other countries oversea. Tho hour of closing the moils' lor, Now Plymouth could not bo wad© Juter than 8 p.m.; hut it was arranged to accept late fee letters up till midnight for all mails closing at S p.m. ft was arranged to mako tho time ot ciosi'ug of mails for dispatch by the Lyttelton ferry steamer 5.30 p.m. The time was altered to neon when the earlier sauiiis; of the vessels camei into force. It wns agreed tn close mails for Australia two, instead of three, hours before the donarture of tho vessel. No alteration Vould be mado in respect of other oversi;,, mails. Late' fee letters for Australia and for dispatch .by the San Francisco steamer are accepted at the Post Office un to a quarter of an hour nefore tho departure of the steamers. You will, I tlink, agree that everything possible in the circumstances has been done to ol>viato inconvenience to the mercantile community. It must of course lie understood that, should it prove necessary later on, tho times originally fixed for the closing of mails :nav have to be reverted to; but this will not bo dono unlesH absolutely 'unavoidable." Tho council of the ohainber expressed itself as thankful for tho courtesy and information given by tho Socrotftry of the Post Office. The secretary of the Chambor of Commerce (Mr. Vickery) stnted that Mr. Dryden, the Chief Postmaster in Wellington, had preferred a request that the chamber might assist the Post Office by issuing instructions that mails should be posted •at intervale during tho, day and not accumulated , and posted-in one lot at tho close of the day, as' is tho case in some ■ offices. The chamber thought that tho case would be met if tho request were printed on the mail notices, and a printed card be issued to business houses to be displayed in a suitable placo as a reminder. The counoil would certainly back up the suggestion of the Chief Postmaster.