POSTAL AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 May 1918, Page 5

POSTAL AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT.

CURTAILED SERVICES. OWING TO THE CALLING UP OF SECOND DIVISION. Wellington, Last Night. Sir Joseph Ward (Postmaster-General) made the following statement to-day: The calling up the of Second .Division for military service makes it necessary to curtail the services given by the Post and Telegraph Department to the public. Up to the present the Department has given the public the facilities it enjoyed before the war, and, although it has done ( so, in not a single case has an appeal been lodged for exemption from military service for any members of the First Division. In addition to releasing all the men who volunteered, and all those called up by the ballot, the Department has supplied wireless troops, a special telegraph section, and a special postal section, and men to reinforce these sections have been sent from time to time, so that at the present time the Department has really sent more than its quota. A largo number of men of the Second Division have been called up by ballot, and, if it is to release these men, the Department must curtail certain of its services. It is proposed at once to reduce the hours during which the public may send telegrams, or may expect letters to be delivered over the counter, or stamps to be sold. From time to time, as the call for more men makes it necessary, other curtailments will come into force, and it is proposed at the present time to make these restrictions apply only to those offices where the staff is depleted. It is not intended to bring about any restriction which will not have for its object the release of men for military service, and it is felt that the public will appreciate the fact, that curtailments are necessary, and will assist the Department in every way possible. The exact effect of the curtailment of the facilities enjoyed by the public will be advertised as the restrictions become necessary.