The Lyttelton Times

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 437, 10 January 1857, Page 6

The Lyttelton Times

Saturday, January 10th. The new postal arrangements in this Province are calculated to give great satisfaction to the public. From the Ist of Januaiy a system has been inaugurated by which every letter posted in Lyttelton for Christchurch, or in Christchurch for Lyttelton, is delivered on the same day at the residence of the person 'to whom it is addressed. Letters are also delivered to the residents along the line of the mail cart. A post is also established between Christchurch and Kaiapoi, to convey letters and papers twice a week, instead of once a week, as formerly. This is the first settlement in New Zealand in which a letter delivery has been attempted ; and we have no doubt but that the example will be immediately followed in other Provinces. Those who have experienced the trouble and inconvenience of being obliged to trust letters of importance to private hand, or to carriers who were not compelled to deliver within any given time, will appreciate the advantages of the new system. It is one of those small steps in social comfort which are sure tokens of increasing civilisation. The most singular feature of the new postal arrangement is, that the delivery of letters is undertaken, as we understand, on economical grounds. The General Government threw the expense and management of the local posts wholly on the Provinces. It was found that, unless some means could be devised of makir g the whole'letter-carrying business of the Province pass through the post, the expense entailed would be considerable ; and it was'thought that, if the public

diid not get some great advantage in regularity and quickness of delivery, letters would be sent, as heretofore, oftener by private hand or by private carriers than through the post. It is expected that the certainty of delivery of letters on the same day they are posted, by means of a responsible office, will be sufficient temp'ation to induce every one to send all communications through the local post. By this means the greater part if not the whole of the expense will be met by the postages. We would urge upon our readers the duty of helping to "carry out the new arrangements as far as in them lies. We can scarcely doubt but that most people will avail themseh es of a means of communication so convenient and beneficial to individuals and to the public at large. If the present system succeed, as we have no doubt it will, we hope ere long to see the postal arrangements extended far beyond their present limits. When the ferry at the Rakaia is in working order, a post might be established at the house of accommodation on that river, or even further south, for the benefit of the southern settlers. Another post might run to the Hurunui, northward. In a short time, contracts for the carriage of these mails might be taken very cheap, by persons who would make the business pay by carrying small parcels and light commissions from the town to the various stations along their road and beyond it. The accommodation house at either end might be made a depot as well as a postoffice. In this manner, ere long, the Province might be traversed by posts from one end to the other. Tiie expense of such services may be easily met by the postages, if the public determine to encourage the attempt as far as possible, by sending com. mnnications by no other hands than those of the post-office authorities.