CORRESPONDENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 May 1918, Page 5

CORRESPONDENCE.

REJDTAIPE. To the Editor. Sir, —How is this for red tape? On Monday one of the young boys, aged IS years, who was working on my farm, went to Urenui on my behalf, taking a written order from another young chap (a returned soldier who has done his bit for nearly two years and who is only just recovering from his smash, and who has pluckily taken 1 on a small contract in thi s district of a very helpful nature to the settlers), to bring any letters, home for Mm. This young chap went into the post office at Urenui and delivered his order, and was very politely informed by the postmaster tfna/t there was a letter there, but registered,, and only the owner could get it. I was informed of the position, and thought, as I had lived in tho district for fifteen years, and, moreover, have been sworn in by the Postal Department to take telegrams o ranything connected with a telephone bureau, perhaps I could be trusted to deliver a small item Mke this, but also mot with a blank refusal, the consequence being that the owner of the said letter has to saddle up his horse to-morrow and ride eighteen miles and lose his valuable day's work, which the country can ill-afford (and for which the officer responsible sfcouH be made to refund him), simply became of the hidebound red-tape methods which should not be tolerated. I am sure! I am voicing the sentiments of the whole fanning community when I say we want a more liberal reading of the rules governing the Government Departments,and any officials of the strict red-tapism kind should be taiken from the country districts and put in the city offices where these methods are recognised and tolerated, and give us baekbtockers some of those broad-minded officers who do so much to popularise these splendid services.—l am, etc., W, J. E®EETH. Wai-iti, May 28.