MAILS TO SOLDIERS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 160, 8 September 1916, Page 5

MAILS TO SOLDIERS.

SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

Many enquiries are being made, and much misconception seems to .exist regarding the present arrangements for forwarding mails to soldier's. The following is a position of the statement so far as it can be made known publicly: Letters and packets for the forces i on active service in France are forwarded alternately via San Francisco and via Vancouver, and parcels and newspapers for the same forces by i direct steamers to London. All classes j of mail matter for the units on ser--1 vice in Egypt are forwarded weekly Iby the steamer leaving Wellington for Sydney. The units on service in France and Egypt respectively are known to the Post Office in Wellington, but this information cannot be made public. The post office advertises the time for closing the mails it is intended to despatch via San Francisco and via Vancouver, and by direct steamer, but without mentioning the route. There is a difficulty about advertising the despatch of mails to Egyp*, because many of the public are not aware whether their friends are In France or in Egypt, and while patch from Wellington is weekly, the outward despatch from Australia is fortnightly. It is not always possible to say whether the steamer leaving Wellinjg/ton will connect with the outgoing steamer from Australia. The practice of sending on mails from Wellington weekly ensures their going tor ward with the least possible delay. The object of the post office in advertising; has been to give the public, without misleading them, reasonable information as to despatches. The clos ing of the mails for the forces to France is always notified well aheafi, and mails for the forces in Egypt are despatched so frequently that there should be no inconvenience. The public are strongly advised to continue ad dressing mail matter to the care of the General Post Office, Wellington. When this is done it ensures tae matter g»ing forward in closed mails addressed to the officer commanding the. Expeditionary Forces in France and Egypt respectively/Many persons have taken to leaving "c/o G.P.0., Welling ton," out. of the address, and have sufc stituted England or France. When this occurs the post office has no oi)t:oD but to forward the articles in the ordinary mails to the countries to v?hicb they are addressed.