THE HOT LAKES CHRONICLE AND Tourists' Journal. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1895.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 3, Issue 158, 11 December 1895, Page 2

THE HOT LAKES CHRONICLE AND Tourists' Journal. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1895.

There has been a pretty genera}protest enterecC from all parts of the country in regard to the revival of the practice in force up to December 1885 respecti - the delivery of delayed telegrams. The departmental order is to the effect that at country offices closing at .3 p.m. delayed telegrams received during the day must not be de= livered until the following indrning: This practice may be all very well in towns where letters and delayed wires are delivered by the letter-carriers, but it is most unfair to. places where no such system is in vogue. Here, residents go to the postoffi.ee for their letters after tho mail arrives, and though there may he delayed wires wi the office it is impossible to obtain them until tho next visit is made. Take tho case of a delayed telegram arriving here on Tuesday. A window delivery takes place on Tuesday night but the message is not obtainable. On Wednesday tho train arrives at 8.30, but there is no delivery that night, so unless by some fortuitous circumstance tho addressee happens to meander into the postoffice on Wednesday the telegram is not obtainable till Thursday morning. On the same principle a tolograin arriving on Saturday would not be received till Tuesday. So far as country towns not possessed of a daily mail are concerned, delayed wiiv. s ought surely to bo treated as ordinary letters for delivery from the postoffice at which they are posted.

There is no doubt that this is"another of the numerous petty revenue raising devicbS which fall heavily on the class of people least able to afford it. In this ease, however, it is more than probable that it will not have the do > sired effect. In place of securing a greater number of ordinary telegrams it will most likely cause the public to resort to the use of post-cards and letters.