MAIL FOR TROOPS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20507, 18 March 1941, Page 8

MAIL FOR TROOPS

HUGE VOLUME POSTED 81 TONS LAST MONTH (Special to the Iloralil.) WELLINGTON, this day. Some idea of the huge volume of mail matter now going forward to New Zealand soldiers overseas may be gained from the fact that during the last four weeks 81 tons were dispatched. The Postmaster-General, the Hon. P. C. Webb, said to-day that of this the parcels comprised 49 tons, newspapers and other reading matter 30 tons, and letters over three tons. Almost one ton of letters were for air mail, for the most part each weighing less than half an ounce. It is therefore probable that between 90,000 and 100,000 air mail letters were posted to soldiers last month.

The volume of correspondence received from soldiers was also heavy, but it consisted mainly of letters. A fairly large number of souvenirs arrived by parcel post. A considerable volume of civilian mail was si ill being transmitted and any falling off was more than compensated by the heavy traffic for the expeditionary force.