POSTAL DELIVERIES.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19690, 6 August 1929, Page 11

POSTAL DELIVERIES.

TO THIS KDITOft 0* THE PRESS. Sir, -I notice that some complaints are now being made about late postaT deliveries in the centre of the business area. This has been going on for a long time, but the silence of those affected cannot be taken as a sign that all i.i well. Christchurch people are •o apathetic that if they got a delivery only every second day they would not tnak« a fuss and would probably accept it as one of the after-effects of the war. Ido not think any explanations affect the position at all. The fact remains that the delivery is always very late in our srea and should be improved without further delay. I think the many years of humbug over the ''change over" of the telephone system have reduced the business people to a state of accepting anything the Post and Telegraph Department (ikes to inflict on them. I hope the matter will not be allowed to drop and will be taken to the PostinasterGoneral if satisfaction is not given.— Yours, etc^ fA VrHEgTEII STREET. August sth, 1929.

*0 TUB IDITOB OF TH» PMSS. Sir,—ln this morning'® issue of The Pttßsa appears an attempt to excuse the late morning delivery of mail in central Hereford »treet. A point is made of occasional delay in arrival of the ferry from Wellington, yet this morning, the ferry having arrived in Lyttelton yesterday morning, the delivery was at 10.34 a.m.! It is unnecessary to say more on thia score, as it ia apparent that the "arrival of ferry" is merely the proverbial herring drawn across the ■cent. I can corroborate the complaint of late delivery, it being rarely before 10.30 and often later. This is not the fault of the postman, who is recognised an a capable and obliging officer. On some occasions, when mails are more than usually late, the excuse is advanced that delivery was delayed to include the English or other overseas mail. Many offices in Hereford street are practically strangers to English and foreign mails, but very much interested in the local letters. Is it reasonable to hold back the daily local mail so as to include the overseas? Local mail demands quick attention and quick reply —English and foreign letters usually involve more deliberate attention and more time to catch outgoing mails. The fact is, the Post Office could, and should, make up its mind to give early delivery of regular daily morning mail in this the business part of the City. Letter boxes in doors might be made compulsory, or those who decline to install them may be left to get their delivery later in the morning or in tlue afternoon, but the bulk of offices are open or have letter boxes and are entitled to early delivery so that mail may be attended to—many letters call for a reply by south mail which closes on certain days at 11.10 a.m. To ensure quick delivery in the business centre ia surely not beyond the resources of the Department, even if it means putting on another officer to assist the present postman. The business men are dissatisfied with excuses, which are often too shallow, and ask the Department to exercise its ingenuity in applying a remedy.—Yours, etc., ACCOUNTANT. August sth, 1039.