INCREASE IN POSTAL BUSINESS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 54, 27 November 1937, Page 16

INCREASE IN POSTAL BUSINESS

Great Volume Of Mail

TELEPHONE REPLACING LETTER-WRITING

The postal service of New Zealand had the busiest period of its existence last year: the letters, postcards, circulars, packets, newspapers, and parcels placed in its care tor distribution both within the Dominion and overseas reached the colossal figure of just over 534,000.000. Nearly half of these postings. or, more correctly, 261,500,000. were within the Dominion.

Some contrasts between the relative amount of postings in different parts of the Dominion are possible.by taking out of the analysis the particulars relating only to letters and letter-cards, which constitute the principal feature. Tn the various postal ’districts of the Dominion and its associated Pacific Islands the letters and letter-cards Handled last year were:—

Totals 141.853,498 292,093,701

The figures regarding postcards are not included in these details, but one point of interest about them is that the total number handled last year showed a decrease, and if the comparison is extended over a longer period the decreasing popularity of the postcard becomes more marked, last year’s total being 468,000 fewer than in 1916. when the picture postcard was in great favour. Though letter writing maintains impressive proportions among New Zealanders, it is actually not so extensive as in former years, for when the millions quoted above are reduced to terms of letters a unit of population the results appear as follows:— Letters posted per unit of population.

1930 101-9 1931 90.55 1932 77.4 S 1933 81.79 1934 85.47 1935 86.53 1936 89.51 The reduction in the percentage shown in 1931 was due probably to the raising of the minimum postage rate to 2d. as a revenue-maintaining expedient during the depression. However, New Zealand resumed penny postage in June? 1932, after which the figures commenced to rise, though they have not returned to the 1930 level. The principal reason for the apparently tardy recovery is probably that letter writing has to some extent been replaced b/p the more frequent use of the telephone, specially for social purposes after business hours. The number of toll calls handled last year was 13,143,171, whereas the number handled during the year ended March, 1917, was only 5,040,672. The Post Office can still point to a growth in the volume of its mails equalling over 50 million letters in 10 years, and if the letters a unit of population are fewer, the business is being obtained in another way.

Posted and Postal District. Posted. Delivered. Auckland .... 2.8, 4711, Sil 60,731,(>6 4 Blenheim .... 1,417,147 2,913,350 Christchurch « 36,1 <9,412 Dunedin ..... 11.260,976 22. <863,749 Gisborne ••••• 3,326.470 6,520.895 Greymouth .... 2,044,191 10,438,900 4,335.350 21.152.351 In vnren rgill . ■ 0,402,042 12,847,499 Napier ...•••« 7,156,474 14,399,507 Nelson 3,002,850 5,958.231 New Plymouth 5.308,253 1,590.180 10,567.024 3,115,178 Palmerston North . Thames Timarii ........... Won nr a nil i ......... 0.492,004 3,528,387 3.080,213 5 812,592 13.233,832 7,478,019 7,340,877 10.S56.930 25,502,190 52.510,344 "Westport •••• 747,305 1,839,110 "Rarotonga .... 46,080 101,610 Western Samoa 79,101. 152,494