DAMAGED MAIL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 300, 20 December 1938, Page 16

DAMAGED MAIL.

IN "SHOCKING" STATE. FLYING BOAT MISHAP, DELAY IN DELIVERY. Salvaged mail from the Imperial Airways flying boat Calpurnia which on November 27 made a forced landing on Lake Raniacli, near Bagdad, with the loss of three lives, arrived from Sydney by the Awatea yesterday. Although cable advice had reported that the mail had been dried" in readiness for forwarding, it was discovered when the bags were opened that further drying was required and this work was commenced immediately, the letters and packets being spread on tables in a large room in the post oflice. On examination. it was found that addresses typewritten or written in ordinary ink or on white paper were nearly all legible, but that coloured inks in some instances had washed out.

[ Packets .wrapped in brown paper were I found to have suffered more than letters. Some had burst open and revealed | the contents, such as silk stockings, | handkerchiefs and small leather articles. | while a packet of seeds had commenced to sprout. Many addresses written on brown paper could not be read. As a precautionary measure the mail is being disinfected'. Some of the letters and packets will have to go to the dead fetter oflicc. In one. or two cases the wisdom o.f double addressing was proved, especially where an addressed tie-on tag had been attached "to make sure." Many stamps have.been washed off packets and letters and no surcharge will be made unless the postage has been marked "underpaid" in London. All the mail as far as possible is . being stamped in Auckland: . "Damaged by water in transit from London."

In tlie consignment a number of. letlers liave been found bearing Australian addresses and it is believed that these were accidentally mixed with New Zealand letters during the preliminary drying or possibly were among the loose mail which was found floating on the surface of the lake after the mishap. The chief postmaster, Mr. W. G. Cooper, said this morning that every effort was being made to handle the Calpurnia's mail expe'"tiously, but the letters and packets were in such a shocking condition that he doubted whether any could be delivered for a day or two. The whole mail had to be carefully sorted and examined. The water had caused considerable damagj, a large number of the letters being ungummed. It was unfortunate, lie said, that a mail should arrive in such a condition when the post oflice was so tremendously busy with the Christmas mail,/ when every available member of the staff was required.