CHRISTMAS MAILS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 December 1943, Page 4

CHRISTMAS MAILS

FOR FORCES IN MIDDLE EAST & PACIFIC MUCH DONE TO EXPEDIATE DELIVERY. POSTMASTER-GENERAL’S REPORT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The Postmaster-General, Mr Webb, stated today that he had received advice of the arrival in the Middle East of the final portions of the Christmas mail sent from New Zealand. He also announced that of the total consignment of over 30,000 bags of parcels, more than half had been cleared through the Base Post Office in Cairo by December 11. When it was realised that the staff of that office had some '250,000 parcels to deliver before Christmas, Mr Webb observed, the size of the task would be appreciated. The officer in charge of the Base Post Office had intimated* that all parcels included in the earlier despatch would be cleared through the base in ample time, but that, owing to long lines of communication, later despatches to units in Italy might not be delivered before Christmas. Every effort, however, would be made to effect delivery. During November at least four mails from New Zaeland arrived in the Middle East. More are expected to reach their destination at short intervals.

As regards mails from the Middle East to New Zealand, the Minister said one very large mail had already arrived this month and had been delivered, while another two were in process of being delivered. In addition, six other mails were known to be en route to New Zealand. It was hoped that some of these would be delivered before Christmas, but this would depend entirely on the shipping position.

The Minister added that the airgraph system was providing a very valuable complementary service to the Middle East. Recently the transmission times of airgraph mails both to and from the Middle East had averaged under 13 days. Mr Webb said the last of the Christmas parcels left the Dominion some little time back for the Pacific forces, and at least some parcels had already arrived in forward areas. Special arrangements had been made to effect delivery and, subject only to service requirements and communication delays. the great bulk of the parcels should he delivered in time for Christmas.