RURAL DELIVERIES.

Putaruru Press, Volume I, Issue 5, 15 November 1923, Page 2

RURAL DELIVERIES.

REGU LATIONS CRITICISED. Rural mail regulations were outlined by a letter received at tne Matamata County Council meeting on Friday from the postal authorities, in reply to a complaint by the council that owing to danger to traffic it was in certain cases inadvisable lor a .nettier to put iris box out on the load where the rural mail contractor -ould deliver the mail into the box without alighting from his vehicle. The reply stated that owing to the danger of leaving a horse standing unattended in a vehicle the contractor was net required to alight from his vehicle to put mail matter into any subscriber's box, but he certa,nl\ should not throw the mail out towards the box and allow it to alight on the ground. Unless the settler was there to receive it the contractor was Ji l ■-I'tied in taking it bock to the post officand bringing it out again next day rather than alight from his cart. A settler should always endeavour to hnd some place along his frontage where the box could be erected with safetv to traffic while at. the same time the mail cart could draw up alongside it. tn general discussion on the matter Or. H. Rollett said tlm system of delivering registered letters under the rural delivery had also been altered lately. Formerly, a card notifying, a subscriber of the arrival of a registered letter for him at the nost. office was left at his box for his receiptsignature. He signed it that night and returned it to the box for the contractor to take back to the office, the contractor brintrine: out the reedstered letter the next day. Now, however, the letter and the card were sent out together with the contractor but, unless the settler happened to be ay the box when the contractor arrived and thereuoon signed the card ‘he letter was taken back to the post office next day. ft was sent out twice in this way and if not then delivered was allowed to remain at the nost office until called for. Of course where possible the contractor telephoned the subscriber overnight, advising him that be bad the registered letter folium, but Cr. Rollett thought the old way the better one.