PARTIAL SUSPENSION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 November 1942, Page 2

PARTIAL SUSPENSION

OF CHEAP CABLE SERVICE TO MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES. AMENDED ARRANGEMENTS FOR CHRISTMAS(By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. “The present 2s 6d cablegram service to members of the Armed Forces overseas will be suspended during the period December 7 to December 27,” said the Postmaster-General (Mr Webb) today. The Minister explained that, owing to the heavy congestion on the cable circuits, Cables and Wireless Ltd, and the other communications authorities concerned had had no option but to suspend over Christmas the present service, with its full range of texts. A restricted service providing for six texts, all greetings texts such as “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. All well,” and “Love and Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year. All well,” etc., had however been provided in substitution. Under the substituted system, only one text could be included in any one message. Mr Webb added that to ensure delivery by Christmas, greetings messages should be lodged not later than December 12. This applied particularly to the Middle East, as the military authorities there had warned us that messages not in their hands for delivery by December 15, might not reach the soldier addressees in time for Christmas.