Ensuring That Christmas Mail Does Not Go Astray

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31221, 19 November 1966, Page 16

Ensuring That Christmas Mail Does Not Go Astray

More than 90,000 Christmas cards and thousands of parcels would fail to reach their destinations this year if people did not improve their addressing habits, the Chief Postmaster (Mr M. E. Wilson) said yesterday. Many of the parcels contained valuable articles including transistor radios jewellery and postal notes, he said.

“Last year 90,000 cards failed to reach their destinations because they were incorrectly or insufficiently addressed,” he said. "This was 10,000 more than in the previous year. This Christmas there

will probably be more than ever.” Mr Wilson said the returned letter office tried everything to find the senders or addressees of mail undelivered.

“In spite of efforts to decipher incomplete or badly written addresses a large part of Christmas mail remains undelivered,” he said.

Mr Wilson offered five simple rules to ensure that mail reached its proper destination:

Check that the address is current and correct. Write clearly including the private box number or postal zone number where necessary. Put your name and address on the back of the envelope. With packets and parcels make sure your own address is clearly marked on the wrapping or included inside. Securely wrap every packet and parcel.