POLICY AND £.S.D.

Evening Star, Issue 19407, 16 November 1926, Page 2

POLICY AND £.S.D.

LATER CLOSING OF PARCELS POST “ Matters of £ s. d. and policy ” was the comment made by the District Traffic manager (Mr H. P. West) when the council of the Chamber of Commerce last night placed before him requests for a later closing of the parcels post for the north and a goods service—practically a night service—to Invercargill. ,Reporting on the deputation to the chief postmaster regarding the closinig of parcel mails, the President said that Mr Penlington had stated that a later closing would he made if the Railway Department would fall into line with the postal authorities. The mails now closed at 3 p.m., as the railways would not receive parcels later than. 7 p.m, Mr West said that he thought the postmaster was referring to the parcels post for north of Christchurch, which went by the night goods train. The night passenger tram, he _ remarked jocularly, was not yet running. Mr Campbell: It will be before long; don’t you worry.

Mr West: I think it will be quite , a while yet. Mr Campbell: You’d he surprised. (Laughter.) Continuing, Mr West said he did not know how they could get over the difficulty, as the parcels post had to be loaded in the goods yard. Mr Campbell: The train goes out,at 9.15 p.m., so cannot you give us another hour? Mr Arthur Barnett said that under the regulations it was impossible for a retailer doing postal business to do his business on that day. Parcels had to be completed and despatched to the Moray Place Post Office by 2 p.m., and on a busy day “it can’t bo done.” The Rail-way Department did not realise that. They had expressed & desire to help business men, and here was an opportunity. ~ , , Mr West laughingly said the department would carry parcels. Mr Campbell: Yes, but they will not deliver them outside of centres. The postmaster had told the deputation that the early closing had been in force for some time in other centres.

Mr'Barnett: It is a retrograde step. After promising to look into the request Mr West said that it was simply a, postal matter. It seemed as if the railways had been saddled with it. Mr G-. Crow said the impression he had gained from the interview was that a lack of co-operation existed between the Postal and Railway Departments. Once parcels had been taken up to 8 p.m.; the time had been reduced to 6 p.m., and then down to 5. Was it not possible to have parcels carried on the express? Mr West: No. It would need an extra wagon. We got no extra revenue from that, and probably an extra engine would be required as far as Palmerston or Oamaru. Parcels, I think, are looked upon as second class matter. If the Postal Department is prepared to pay for the carriage of parcels on the express we might be able to do something. The need for a faster goods service to the south was voiced by Mr Campbell. Goods delivered to the sheds at: 4.30 p.m. did not leave for the south till the 5,10 a.m. train the following day, . The line was fairly clear at night, yet the goods were allowed to remain in the sheds for 12hr 40min, before going to their destination. He could _ not see why the goods should riot be in Invercargill twelve hours after despatch to the sheds.

Mr West replied that quite a good service was provided by the train leaving Dunedin at 11.30 a.m. and reaching Invercargill at 8.15 p.ra, The proposal was a matter of policy and expense, and a revision of the time-tables would have to be considered.

Vicar (thanking all for success of garden party); “ . . and as for dear Lady Blank on,my left!. Well, I rhouldnlt like to tell yon all that .'she has' <kmop