MAIL SERVICES.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17224, 15 August 1921, Page 6

MAIL SERVICES.

EFFECT OF THE RAILWAY CUT. PEOGEESS LEAGUE'S OFFEE DECLINED. The offer of the Canterbury Progress League to maintain the daily morning delivery of rural mails during the period of the railway "cut" has been declined by the Postal Department pending further consideration. The reduction of the railway services involves a break in the daily frequency of mail deliveries in some localities, and in others the mails will bo sent from Christchurch by the afternoon trains. The Canterbury Progress League had arranged a complete service of inward and outward mails for all districts affected by the "cut," but it received advice on Saturday that the Postal Department was unable to accept its offer. The League's officers took the matter in hand as soon as the "cut" was definitely announced. It was recognised that altlhough the curtailment would not be as serious as was that during the big railway "cut," there would be difthat were not existent on the former occasion. Then it was not a matter of finance, for the League was quite prepared to shoulder the burden, realising that both the publio and tho Department would bo able to assist it financially. On tJhis occasion, however, the object of the cut was to save money, and it was obvious that the Government could not 6ave money in one direction if it had to increase expenditure in another. Moreover, the financial circumstances of tho local bodies were &uch that they could not be looked to for any considerable help. At tho most, therefore, the League could on this occasion hope only for nominal help from the Government and "the local .bodies, and perhaps for contributions from the general public, particularly from people interested in the maintenance of regular early mail services. The complete, success of the League's former enterprise in the carriage of mails naturally led the country districts to expect that there would be no break in tlhe services, and, as a matter of tact, communications received at the League's office showed that the districts to bo affected were relying on the organisation to see them through Anticipating n 0 objection from the Postal Department, the League, therefore, went ahead with it s arrangements, and was able to inform the Department that it would bo in a position to take up the' running as soon as the railway cut commenced. It indicated that it was prepared to undertake tho delivery of mails to.all parts of the provinfo lying within it 3 territory that were likely to bo affected, this offer to hold good whether the Department could see.its way; to support the scheme or not. It wr.s not until "Saturday morning that the League learned that there was a possibility of the Department declining to hand the mails to the appointed carriers. The Chief- Postmaster at Christchurch then stated that he had not yet received authority t 0 act in the matter. The following telegram was immeditoly send to the Secretary of the Postal Department at Wellington:— Canterbury Progress League ha? organised daily morning rural delivery of mails during railway cut, and pending your further consideration is preparod to maintain services at own expense. Please authorise local office to' hand over mails to our carriers Monday morning. .Urgent. Later'in the day the .following reply was received from the Secretary:—. _/In reference to your telegram of to-day Departmentj while appreciating Progress League's offer, is unable at present juncture t 0 accept it. The matter will be further gone into in connexion with general question of curtailment of mail services as a' result of curtailment of railway, services, and League's offer .will be' further considered. Questioned on the subject last evening, neither the president nor the organiser of, the League would express an opinion on the merits of the Department's reply, both of them stating that they did not know the grounds' on which the offer had been declined. They were very disappointed at the unforeseen deadlock occurring at the last moment, which had .forced them to break the League's excellent record. They hoped, however, that the break would be a very short one. Mr Climie added that some of the mail carriers with whom he was unable to communicate yesterday would probably be at the Post Office this morning in the expectation of lifting the mails.