POST AND TELEGRAPH.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 June 1918, Page 3

POST AND TELEGRAPH.

THE COMING CURTAILMENTS.

frail ritEss association.—copyright.]

WELLINGTON Juno 28. The Postal Department has issued the following:—The Post and Telegraph Department is making its first, curtailment of services on Monday next, the Ist July. • This curtailment is necessary, owing to the release by the . Department for military service of n

largo number of men. Over 2300 officers of the Department hnvo already entered camp and some 2000 men are yet liable for military service. The Department did not appeal for the exemption of any member of the First Division, and its record so far in connection with the release or men of the Second Division is exceedingly creditable. Of the first ballot for the Second Division 77 men were called. Jhe Department sought exemption for three. In the/second ballot, the numbers were respectively eighty-two and five. In the third fourth ballots together eighty

and two. In the fifth ballot, one hundred and ninety and eight. In the sixth ballot, the final for the members of Class’ 8., one hundred and thirty seven and two. The Department hopes to continue this good record, but if it is to release its trained officers, it must curtail its services in such a way that the work can, to a great extent be carried out by women. It has been urged by those unfamiliar with the work of the Department, that the services of women have not been utilised to to a sufficient extent. A large number of women are in training, and their employment has largely helped the Department in its present difficulties. It is not generally realised, however, that a considerable amount, of Post and Telegraph work is intricate in nature, and that it takes a considerable period of time to train an officer to carry out his or her duties efficiently. A young man or woman with a good memory takos at least twelve months to become an efficient sorter, in the inland mail branch of a large Post Office, and this is only one example from the many branches of the Post, and Telegraph Department . It must also ho remembered that the Department carries on its activities by night, as well as by day, and women can hardly be employed late at night. When the changes arc given effect to the nights staffs will be reduced to a minimum, and work will be forced into the hours between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. The practice which has been followed hitherto of closing mails as close up as possible to the time of departure of train or steamer, has necessitated large ships being employed to cope with the mail matter, which has poured into the offices at the ln§t minutes. The earlier closing of mails will enable the work to be spread thinly over the day, and all employee,s, men and women, will bo kept fully employed instead of being slack at times aitd rushed at other times

Adequate provision is made for ihe posting of urgent letters up to a reasonably short time before .the dep tore of trains or steamer, on payment of a late fee. The importance of news-J-c-a'rs to country subscribers is recognised and newspapers posted after the time of closing for other mail matter will be despatched. Although the clearances of letters from street posting boxes in the larger towns have been reduced in numbers a sufficient service, will still be maintained and clearances will be made at suburban post offices up to 7 p.m. It will therefore bo possible to secure the despatch of correspondence up to a fairly short tirno before the departure of outgoing mails, by posting it at such office. The Department’s aim has not been to deprive the public of any of its usual service, unless an appreciable saving in man power will result. No curtailment is to be made inany of the Department’s activities, where the introduction of female labour will permit the carrying on of the work as heretofore .