POSTAL EXPRESS MESSENGERS

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10778, 4 October 1900, Page 4

POSTAL EXPRESS MESSENGERS

A postal reform, which one would think

ought to commend itself to the serious consideration of a business man like Mr. Ward, is the establishment of an express delivery service, at any rate in the large towns. In England there is an express delivery from all post offices, with few exceptions, at which there is a delivery of telegrams. A letter or parcel, posted in the ordinary- way, can be marked for immediate delivery on arrival, instead of waiting for the usual postal delivery. The charge is simply 3d for every mile, or part of a mile, in addition to the ordinary postage. The arrangement is particularly convenient in towns where there is a telephone service, as the subscriber who wants a message or a parcel delivered in any part of the district, has simply to ring up the post office, when a messenger is sent round to him, and all that he has to pay is the very modest fee of 3d per mile if the parcel is not more than lib in weight, and Id per lb extra for Seavier parcels. It is very extensively used, not only by business firms, but by private residents. Reporterattending football matches, public meetings, etc., have only to apply to the local postmaster to get an express messenger placed

at their disposal to convey their telegrams to a telegraph office for transmission, on payment of the mileage fee, and in many other way 3 the system has become quite one of the indispensable conveniences of English life. It is not only letters and parcels that are so delivered, but even live animals are accepted

for express delivery, if "confined in a suitable receptacle," and the rules further inform us that "a dog furnished with a- j>roper col"iar and chain may also be, at the discretion of the postmaster, taken to its address "on payment of the mileage charge [3d per "mile], in addition to any charge that may "have to be paid for the dog in respect of "its carriage by public conveyance." Liquids are also accepted, and there seems a stroke of unintended official humour in the stipulation that the bottles in which they are contained must be "properly closed." Nor does this exhaust the uses which may be made of ihe service. For example, "a person may be conducted by express messenger to any address, on payment of the mileage fee." Children are sometimes sent to a distance in this manner, and a colonist who looses his way in London has only to call at the nearest post office, and a messenger boy will lead him home at a total charge of 3d per mile, or a part of a mile. The express delivery system is by no means confined to the United Kingdom. It flourishes all over Europe—even in small countries like Denmark and Montenegro—-while not only go-ahead Japan, but even a country like Siam, enjoys a boon which, so far, has not been conceded to New Zealand. We hope Mr. Ward'will give this subject hi 3 careful attention.