FARMERS' POSTAL FACILITIES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 107, 26 October 1911, Page 3

FARMERS' POSTAL FACILITIES

f RURAI. MAIL DF.LIVEUV. I "That's all very well," said the champion of tin 1 poor, neglected farmer. '"Yon I fellows in town are getting your imj proved mail deliveries and a whole host | of collecting-boxes from the new Chief Postmaster, but is he doing for the ' farmers? Nothing." It was perhaps only a coincidence that the reporter's first call lifter overhearing the above scrap of conversation was upon the Chief Postmaster, Mr. Dryden. himself, and I the object of the visit was to gather some information concerning the new j system of rural mail delivery inaugurated by the Postal Department for the j benefit* of rural settlers. I The Post Office has decided to undertake the delivery and collection of mail j matter to and from persons residing in rural districts along and contiguous to the lino of travel of all existing mail , ' routes of one mile and upwards in length j upon receipt of a properly signed petii tion for such service from the residents j of each of the rural districts traversed jby such routes. Petition forms may be ' obtained upon application to Chief Post- J ' masters. Any person living on or conj tiguous to a rural mail route and not j within one-quartw mile of the corporate ' limits of any city, town, or village, who desires his mail deposited in a box authorised by the Department at a given I point on the line of the route by the rural mail-carrier, may take advantage of the opportunity afforded. Such person shall provide and erect a box, known _ I as the "Rural mail-box," on the roadside, placed in such a manner as to be reached by the carrier without dismounting from his vehicle or horse. This box, the cost of which, with necessary fittings, exclusive of lock and key, will be los, can only be obtained from the Post Office. The box is so contrived that the position of the. box on the arm to which it is attached can be easily changed from lying lengthwise along the arm to directly across the end of it. The arm itself should lie along the road in the direction of travel either ivay. When the position of the box is across the end of the arm it is an indication to the box-holder or to the carrier, as the case may be, that ] the box contains mail-matter. On the other hand, when the box lies lengthwise along the arm it is a notification either to the carrier or to the boxholder that no mail-matter has been deposited therein. The position of the box on the arm can be easily changed from lengthwise to crosswise. Mr. Drvden has a specimen box in his room. It is of metal, and is to be affixed to a post standing 4ft. fiin. above the j road level, and must be erected upon , the roadside so as to conveniently reached bv the carrier without leaving ' his trap or dismounting from his horse. The post to whiih the box is to be permanently attached, and whicli is to be provided by the hox-liolder, may be either Sin. square or -Sin. in diameter; must be at least 3it. in the ground, and approximately 4ft. Gin. above the road level, and must, be erected upon the roadside so as to be conveniently reached by the carrier without I'.'iWUig Ins tl'tlp or dismounting from his horsf. During I the winter season the roads must be I kept open and the approach of the box sufficiently clear to enable the carrier

to pursue his journey without being unnecessarily delayed or inconvenienced. | Each box must have conspicuously paint- i ed or stencilled upon it the name of the box-holder or owner. Any person living off the line of j travel of a rural mail carrier is at liberty to purchase and erect one of these boxes sit the cross-road or any other point c.n the carrier's route for the reception of matter addressed to him or sent by him. as the ca«e may be. All , mail matter collected from or delivered to these boxes will be at the expense ■ of the Post Office. All mail matter del posited in a box by the box-holder or ' owner thereof to be collected by the car- [ ner must be fully prepaid. Locks and I keys for the boxes will be furnished by j the Department, if desired, at the actual i cost.

The regulations provide that parcels too large to he placed in a rural mail box will not lie delivered to the carrier unless arrangements have been made with the carrier to meet the latter at the box, but in the absence of such an arrangement the addressee will be informed that the parcel is at the office. Registered letters tendered by box-hold-ers must be accepted by the mail-carrier. This service should prove must useful in Tar.maki. It is thought that the settlers themselves may be able to recommend drivers of cream-carts or other regular travellers on the road as carriers, or a working arrangement might be entered into by a number of settlers for the carrying out of the duties by one of their number regularly or by each one of the company in turn. Mr. Dryden will be glad to give full particulars to anyone desirous of obtaining the benefits of the system.