THE POSTAL SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 81, 3 October 1923, Page 5

THE POSTAL SERVICE

COMPLAINT ABOUT MORNING

DELIVERY.

Complaint has been ihade by a correspondent ..of "The Post" in respect to what appears to him to be tardiness am the part of the postal officials in the delivery of mail matter. The bugden* of his etatement is that an important letter -which was addressed to him from Foxton, and -which arrived by the New Plymouth express last evening, did not reach him until 9.20 o'clock this morn-^ ing. He understood- that the delay was caused by the system of sorting the southern mail before the letter-carriers leave the Post Office on the first morn-: ing delivery round. As'his letter was not received until 9 o'clock, it' was assumed that the letter-carriers commenced their round at a later hour than in Auckland, where delivery commenced shortly after 8 o'clock. As a means of facilitating the work, he suggests that the southern mail should be sorted on the vessel in the same way that letters' are sorted on the Main Trunk trains.

On inquiry at the Post Office this morning it was learned that actually the letter-carriers commence their morning round at the same time as in Auckland —shortly after 8 o'clock. The departmental explanation of the caso in point is that, it is reasonable to allow that a postman with a heavy mail for his circuit would take about an hour to reach the residence, of the complainant, who lives in Bpulcott street. The recipient of the letter seems to be unfortunate, in that he ig living near the end of the let-ter-carrier's round. In regard to the suggestion for expediting the sorting of the southern mail, the postal officials state that the work it done within good time for the letters to be on the road when the postmen commence their duty at 8 o'clock, and that there is consequently no necessity for sorting on the ferry steamer, except in the event of late running.

It is pointed out by the postal authonties that many people are in ignorance of the facilities provided by the Department for the delivery o f important letters or parcels by express messenger. This is provided for in the regulations at a special postage fee, and a special stamp i» sold for tlria very purpose. This affords a very convenient means of delivery to «m» addressee, who nas not a postal box at the Post Office