POST OFFICE STAFF

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 44, 16 November 1918, Page 8

POST OFFICE STAFF

REDUCTION OF DELIVERY SERVICE. Ono hundred and thirty members of tho staff of tho Chief Post Office were absent from duty yesterday morning owing to sickness, two-thirds of the postmen being victims of tho prevailing epidemic. Under the circumstances it was impossible for tho Post Office to maintain its usual services. Yesterday it was only possible to give one delivery of letters anywhere. The residents of Sentoun, Mi'rnmar, Kaiwarra, Ngaio, and Khnndallah will from to-day have to call at their respective local post offices for mail matter. The delivery of parcels has been discontinued, and these will have to be called for at the Chief Post Office, Should there be a further loss of staff, tho services will have to be correspondingly curtailed. It may be necessary to have onl| r one delivery of letters « day in the business, and one every other day in tho residential area of the city. In case of extreme need it may be necessary to require all persons to call at the Chief Post Office for mail mutter, Everything possible will be done to maintain a limited service, and the usual deliveries will be resumed as soon as conditions permit. RESTRICTED TELEGRAPH SERVICE DEPLETED STAFFS. Referring to tho notice given yesterday, ' Sir Joseph Ward, PostmasterGeneral, reports that telegraph staffs are no;v so seriously depleted by the prevailing epidemic that it is necessary to materially reorganise the work. In the circumstances, he has determined, for tho sake of not breaking faith with tho publio by accepting telegrams which there is no cliance of dispatching in -easonable time, that only telegrams of _great urgency concerning sickness, accident, or death, or concerning actual movements of steamers, trains, or coaches aie to be accepted for the present. In all cases of dispute as to the importance of telegrams presented, the superintendent, the assistant superintendent, tho postmaster, the supervisor, or the senior counter clerk will decide finally. Press telegrams must be confined to matters of the first importance, and must not exceed 100 words in length. This iestriction does not npnly to the, transmission of telegrams between small stations which work dirp"t with each « L her. In a large number of cases, staffs are normal in country nines. The PostmasterGeneral has also determined to close all post and telegraph offices which at nresent close later f han ft p.m. for the dav, at that hour. These restrictions will be removed at the earliest possible moment. NO CHURCH.SERVICES It has not been found possible to ascertain whether all the churches will close for the whole day to-morrow, but there will bo no services in the following:—St. John's, St. Andrew's, Kelburn (Presbyterian), The Terrace (Congregational), Vivian Street (Baptist), Taranaki Street and Thorndon (Methodist), or the Anglican churches. POSITION IN THE CAMPS NUMBERS IN HOSPITAL DECREASING. Tho position in the camps, as shown by tho health reports yesterday, is that the numbers of men in hospital are decreasing. To date .the death-roll of tho camps totals over 100. Yesterday's reports were;—' Trentbam, Paraded sick U7 Admitted to hospital 20 In hospital 1534 Serious cases 80 ■ Featherston. Paraded sick 109 Admitted to hospital 3-4 In hospital .'. IGI7 In convalescent camp ,815 Serious cases 143 . Awapuni. Paraded sick 2 Admitted to hospital 2 Influenza case 1 In hospital 42 Ptc. C. S. Chalk pnssed- away in Palmerston North Hospital. Pneumonia was the cause of death. SOLDIERS' DEATHS The following aro official notifications of soldiers who have died (mostly from influenza or complications following influenza) in New Zealand during the past week;— Featherston. Private Leonard Wilson, November 11, broncho pneumonia. S.-Sgt. Bertram Boock. November 10, pneumonia following influenza. ' Cpl. Frank Lewis Davis, November 10, broncho pneumonia following influenza. Sgt. Vernon Absolum AVinter, November 11, pneumonia. Pte'. Raymond Bray, November 11, broncho pneumonia following influenza. Pte. Maurice John Lawn, November 11, broncho pneumonia following influenza. Ptc. Charles- Samuel Marks, November 12, influenza. Pte. Lawrence Cecil Hitchcock, November 12, influenza. Pte. William Geoghan, November 12, influenza. R.Q.M.S. C. Mackay M'Hugh, November 12, influenza, Pte. Arthur Allen Bright,' November 12, broncho pneumonia.' Pte. William John Taylor Gracey, November 12, broncho pneumonia. R.S.M. William Palliser, November 11, broncho pneumonia.' Pte. William Kinnaird. Chisholm, November 11, broncho pneumonia. Q.M.S. Leonard Aden Sydney Howe, November 11, broncho pneumonia. Pte. Fred Mayo, November 12, broncho pneumonia. Gunner James Henry Carson, Novem> bcr 12, broncho pneumonia. Pte. Fred. Edwin W. Aydon, November 12, pneumonia. t ' Pte. Thomas Welch Campbell, November 12, influenza. Pte. Percy Harry James, November 13, influenza. Pte. John Seller, November 12, influenza.

Pte. Rangi Kerehoma, November 13. influenza.

Pte. Arthur Small, November 12, influenza..

Pte. William James Boon, November 9, broncho pneumonia following influenza.

Pte. Cyril John Caverhill, Nov'. 12, influenza.

Pte. Edward Hunt Cunclilf, Nov. 12, influenza.

, Ptc. Henry Wobster, Nov. 12, influenza (Mrs.M. E. Webster, Roslyn, Dunedin). Pie. Fred. Galbraith, Nov. 12, influenza (Mrs. F. M. Galbraith, Auckland).

Pto. Alfred Hill. Nov. 7, influenza (Mrs. L. A. G. Hill, wife, Timaru). Lieut. William Jos. Hollis, Nov. 13, pneumonia (Mrs. W. J. Hollis, wife, Wangamii). Pte. Thomas Charles Price, Nov. 13, influenza (Mr. E. C. Price, father, Palmerston North).

Capt. Leonard Harry Potton (Masterton . Hospital). Nov. It (Miss. L.' H. Potto". Eninire Hotel).

Pte. Bernard , B cot+ White, Nov. U, influenza (Mrs. E. R. White, mother, Rivflrton).

Pto. Peter Holes. Nov. 13. bronchopneumonia (Mrs. Margaret Holes. Whaketaki). Gnr. Fred. Ernest Lock, Nov. 13, hfonchn-nncunionia (Mrs. F. E. Lock, Christchurch). Pto. Leonard AVilson, Nov. 11, influenza (Mr. F. Wilson, father, Auckland). Ptc. Maurice John Lawa, influenza (Mrs. E. C. Lawa, mother. Rnhofn). Gnr. Frank Parkor S. W«bb. Nor. m, broncho-pneumonia (Mr. F. L. Webb, Tiosl-nl '•id Lieut Guy Brdwman. Nov. H, influenza (Mr. F. Bridgeman, father, D"iedi'<V Pte. Robert 'OanH 'Renire, Nov. 10. ininnn7.a (Mrs. R. D. Bengo, wife, TJnppr Until. O.M.S. Berlrmi Poor 1 --. Nov. 10, in. fliißPTn r\r«\ T.ilv Boock. mother, Ait R!-r»«f. WplUnirron). Victoria Military Ward, Wellington. Pte. C!. Simmons, Nov. 1-1, influenza taxaema. Ptc. E. Baker, Nov. 12, influenza, broncho-pnoumouia. Sgt. J. R. Morris, Nov. 12, influenzapneumonia.

I Pto. J. B. Cartwor, Xov. 32. influenza-1 pneumonia. Pte. George Simmons, returned soldier; Nov. 14, influenza and pneumonia (Mrs. Simmons, mother, Sydney Street, Pctonc). Auckland. Pte. G. M'Ncill. November 9. Pte. V. Knox, November 10. Ptc. Frank Farrell, Novembor fi. Thomas Ilarrv Morrison, November 7. Roy Clifton Wolner, November 8. Harold Clarence Trowevn, November 8. George Barnes, November 9. Charles Fred. B. Bickerton, Nov. 6. > Alexander N. Tweedie, November S Ihaia te Ana (Fort Cauticv Barracks). Toto K. Who,. Nov. 12, (Fort Cautley Barracks). D. Murphv, November 13. Patrick Christopher Knox, Nov. 10 (Mrs. C. Brewer, Lower Hutt). Pte. Arthur Herbert Murley, returned discharged soldier, Nov. 13 (Mr. T. H. Wilson, Newmarket). Francis Coulam, discharged soldier, Nov.-11 (Mr. S. J. Coulam, father, Ponsonbv, Auckland). - L.-Cpl. Francis Spowart, discharged soldier, Nov. 9. (Mr. R, Spowart, father, Lnutoka, Fiji). ~,, ~ , . Pte. Harold John Stilton, discharged soldier, Nov. 10 (Mrs. Fanny Stilton, mother, Remuera, Auckland). ■ Christchurch. Cpl. Frank Peneelly, discharged sol-1 dier Nov. 15 (V. hill, friend. Dunsandel). Pte Patrick Francis O'Malley. discharged soldier, Nov. 13 (Mr. Michael James O'Malley, father, Sydenham, Christchurch). ~ | Pte. Arthur William Robertson, discharged soldier, No. 13 (Mrs. A. M. Robertson, mother, Christchurch). Hanmer Springs. L.-Cpl. W. G. Clark, undischarged soldier, Nov. 11. Cook Hospital, Gisborne, Rflmn. James Brown, discharged soldier, Nov. 13 (Mrs. Brown, mother, GisHu"h Lynn M'Lean, discharged soldier, Nov.°W (Miss Martha M'Lean, Napier). Dunodin Hospital. Gunner Louis Joseph de Pletter, Nov. 8 (Mr. J. S. de Pletter, Blooinfontein, ■ South Africa). WATERSIDE WORKERS NECESSITIES TO BE HANDLED. A meeting of tho Wellington Water- ' siders' Union, attended by perhaps onethird of the members, was held in X' shed. Queen's Wharf, yesteaky morning. The president of the union (Mr. L. Glover) stated that, briefly, tho decision 1 of the meeting was to empower the executive to act as it thought fit in regard to the handling of urgently-required goods, on the strict understanding that no enhanced prices -were to bo charged for the goods unloaded. Mr. Glover declined to make any further statement. Inquiries among members of the union - showed that the decision applied to perishables, household and hospital coal, ■ and medicines and disinfectants of all kinds. "It is proposed l that an oxami- ! nation should be made of the coal dumps at Tarannki Street and other places, which had been stored up in tho case of another strike, to ascertain if (he coal is suited for household or liospitnl purposes," said a union official, "and, if it ■ is. it must be distributed first. Ons and lighting coal will bo handled if th" stocks held by the producers are low." ■ Ho went on Mo say that the steamers '. Monowai and Kalcapo, Iring in harbour, i had a Quantity of meujicines and rlisinfectanlo'on board, consigned to Wellington. An examination would be made of their cargoes, and if the drugs could be put ashore without removing too much other, cargo, a start would nrobablv hn made this" mornjne. The offici"! stated that there was also a possibility that lli« wafersiders would talto over goods unloaded, and control their distribution, ir- order to prevent exploitation. The decision applies to tlm Wellington waterfront onlv. but Mr. Glover st«tcd that h" expected other port workers would follow suit.

STEAMER 1 - SAILINGS UNCERTAIN.

Regular steamer connection with tho South Island is seriously threatened. The Union Company announces that henceforward the sailings of their vessels for Lyttelton and Picton and Nelson are indefinite. The Marnroa was to have sailed yesterday for Lyttelton, but as the chief engineer, Jfr. W. Spargo, and the boatswain canio ashoro with influenza the remainder of the crew asked that tho ship be refumigated at Wellington. The company decided to accede to this request, and postponed the departure of tho ''ferry" until to-day, but later in the day the crew intimated that they wore agreeable that the fumigation should be done at Lyttelton to-morrow. It was then too late to cancel the postponement, so the Mararoa did not sail. She is now timed to leavo at 4 p.m. to-day. Tho sailings of the Mapourika for Picton and Nelson and tho Komata for Westport aro in abeyance, but efforts will be made to get them away on Monday. The Wellington-Lyttelton ferry service is'for the present to be kept up by the Mararoa only, as far as circumstances allow, which means that it will be every other day that thero will be an arrival •from anil a departure for the Canterbury port. Tho Aloana was to have relieved the Maori, but this intention is hardly possiblo in view of tho handicapped state of shipping. The Anchor Company (Messrs. Bannatyno and Co., agents) announco that tho Nikau will leavo Wellington nt 4 a.m. to-morrow direct for Nelson. The vessel has a permit to book 157 passages. Further sailings of the Kaitoa and the Nikau (after to-morrow) are uncertain.

GOVERNMENT STEAMERS TO HELP.

The shipping services havo been dislocated by-tho epidemic, and many people are being disappointed at being unable to mako -journeys. The Government, has instructed the Marino Department to arrango for the steamer Hinomoa, if a crew can be obtained (the ordinary crewbeing down with influenza) to leave Lyttelton to-night for tho purpose of bringing up mails and any passengers who have urgent business. Instructions have also been given that the Government steamer Tutanekai, which is laid up at present, is to bo prepared for sea. It is hoped that she will be ready by Monday. Tho Hinemoa in that case will resume her visits to the lighthouses, and the Tiitnnekni will assist in keeping I lie ferry service going,

Yesterday there were reported only lour new cases on the waterfront-a stewardess on tho Mapourika, a seaman on the Kuru Mid two cases on tho Mararoa. The Takapuna has nil her accommodation taken up. There are over 60 men (mostly snilors) under treatment, and so far there ha« been only one death. .Some of tho men are getting better, and further gifts of eggs and other light, articles of food, as well as fruit, flowers, and light literature, would bo very acceptable. In order to prevent infection, nil the coal hulks in Wellington Harbour have been ordered away from the wharves to the anchorage. Some of the smaller vessels will probably move away from the wharves to-day. Tho local office of Huddart-Parkcr, Ltd. has been informed that while the epidemic is raging the Wcstrnlia will not come to Now Zealand. The vessel arrived at 'Melbourne on Wednesday from Bluff, and went into quarantine, after ■which she will trade in Australian waters until conditions ill this country are normal.