THE NEW MAIL SERVICE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3747, 28 January 1928, Page 3

THE NEW MAIL SERVICE.

CRITICISED BY CHAMBER, OF COMMERCE. REVERSION TO OLD TIME TABLE URGED. At the monthly meeting of the Foxton Chamber of Commerce held in Ross’s Rooms on'> Thursday evening the alteration to Foxton’s mail service wa sadversely criticised.

The President said that at the request of a number of business people, he had complained to the Postmaster that the midday mail which was arriving at 1.15 p.m. instead of 12 p.m., was unsatisfactory. As a result -the Postmaster had notified him that day that as from Monday next the midday mail would arrive at 12 p.m. as previously. Mr. Barron objected to thp afternoon mail at Wellington closing at 2 p.m. under the new r arrangement instead of 4.15 p.m. Mr. R. N. Speirs: The closing time of the mail in Wellington has evidently 'been altered to enable the mail to be carried with the papers. , The President: In other words ithas been made to suit the carrier instead of the people. Mr. Barron said that the mads were now- brought to Levin by car in the afternoon and the contractor did not meet the evening train which in the past carried the mails. The ex-contractor was still running a. passenger service to meet that train, but if he stopped running it would mean that people wanting to put in a day in Wellington would have to sacrifice half of it to catch the mail car to connect with Foxton. Mr. A. E. Scott considered the closing of the mails in Wellington at 2 p.m. instead of 4.15 p.m. a very bad thing for Foxton business people. Mr. Speirs considered that the people of Foxton should have been consulted prior to any alteration being made in the mail service. This had not been done. One or two had, been consulted by the Postmaster, but there had not been any proper notification of the matter. A member: It is rather inconsistent of the Government giving its mails to a private company to carry when they could be carried by rail to Levin. Another member' considered that the carriage of mails by car from Wellington in winter time would not be as reliable as by train to Levin. It was finally unanimously decided to write to the Postal Department, expressing dissatisfaction ( at the alteration in the mail service, and to request that the old service be reverted to.