NEWSPAPERS BY POST.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 23, 28 January 1916, Page 7

NEWSPAPERS BY POST.

Interesting accounts of the work of what is probably the world’s greatest courier service are found in the annual report of the Chinese Post Office. There ar e now 136,000 miles of courier lines reaching to the -ends of the great Empire. The ’couriers on the more important routes travel in relays day and night ■without a break. Where is is possible they use mules of boats for heavy traffic, but for thd most part they go on fo6t. The foot services are the fastest, apd in one case where for the quicker distribution of newspapers a fast foot service replaced a mule service, the newspapers reached their destination in seven instead of 18 days. The people in th e capital of the remote Sinkiang province' are indebted to a mule service every three days from the Kansu province for their newspapers. These now arrive two months earlier than formerly. In other provinces there are ‘‘day and night courier lines for the conveyaance of newspapers.’ ’ The Chinese Post Office was established in 1896, and its successful organisation and growth are due to the late Sir Robert Hart and those who have followed him.