Telegram service

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32637, 19 June 1971, Page 16

Telegram service

Sir,—On inquiry at a Post Office in Christchurch about telegram delivery, I was informed that the Post Office is not required to deliver a telegram direct to the addressee, whether the telegram be urgent or not. This I find difficult to understand. If a telegraph messenger finds no-xme at the address indicated, it is apparently sufficient to leave the telegram in the letter box at that address. What would be the situation if the telegram were urgent and, on finding no-one at the indicated address, the telegram was left in the letter box? The person might be away for a week or more. What of a seriously ill person on whose behalf the telegram had been sent? By the time the addressee received it, it might be too late. This needs clarification. Would the postal authorities inform me as to what service is given for the extra 20c charged for urgent telegrams? —Yours, etc., PIGEON POST. June 15, 1971.

[The Chief Postmaster (Mr M. T. Reedy) replies: “In the circumstances described by the correspondent telegrams are taken out for personal delivery to the address stated, but if the addressee is not at home, provided certain conditions are met, the telegram is left in the letterbox and a notice to this effect left under the door. This is done when it can be established by inquiry from the neighbours that the address is correct and there is reasonable expectation that the addressee will return later in the day. Where this cannot- be substantiated a notice is left indicating that a telegram is on hand awaiting delivery and the telegram is taken back to the post office. If an inquiry for the telegrdm is not received within two hours it is taken out for delivery again. Where the contents of the telegram are of an urgent nature and it appears likely that difficulty will be experienced in delivering the telegram that day,' advice to this effect is sent to the sender

of the telegram through the office of origin. Regarding urgent telegrams, these are given higher priority in transmission and delivery than those accepted at the normal rate”]