LYELL MAIL SERVICE.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1040, 24 January 1873, Page 3

LYELL MAIL SERVICE.

{To the Editor of ilie Westport Times.) Sir —There is a matter to which it is needful to call the attention of the postal author ites, who might if they choose easily remedy the evil. It is the great disadvantage Lyell residents are under through the present bad system of despatching mails from this district. It is true we are favored this year with a bi-weekly mail, and admit the benefit so far as receiving correspondence is concerned, but in despatching it puts us in a far worse position than we were last year; as our letters are always a week on the road going down, in consequence of being delayed at Christy's for three day s. Another thing to be mentioned is that we are only allowed from an hour and a half to two hours to write per return mail, and if we should happen to miss that, our letters are delayed for about eight or nine days before they are delivered in Westport. I had occasion to write to Westport the other day, and had my letters forwarded via Eeefton and Greymouth, and I am quite positive if it was down in time to catch the steamer for Westport, my letter would have been delivered sooner than if I had posted it for transit by the direct Lyell mail- The sooner some alteration is made the better it will be for all concerned. For instance I see news from the Lyell in your paper, but it is apparent thai < while your correspondent's letters are on their way through post, we car read in the ' Inangahua Herald,' circumstances that have occurred in the Lyell the very day that such lettei was posted. Great dissatisfaction i< expressed in the matter here, and i the chief Postmaster at Westporl would enquire into the matter, h< would find that our complaints ar< not without reason—Y ours &c. J. C. Lyell, Jan. 17, 1873.