AN OVERDUE MAIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4157, 7 February 1916, Page 5

AN OVERDUE MAIL.

FURTHER DELAYED BY LOCAL POST OFFICE.

NO COUNTER DELIVERY ON SATURDAY. %

A correspondent, signing himself “Citizen,” writes to the Editor °r this journal complaining of what lie terms a want of ordinary foresight and a sad lack of business methods on the part of the local Post Office officials in not arranging to have.a delivery over the counter on baturdav evening of the mails which arrived from thf south by the Tarawera The correspondent points out that Gishorne at any time suffers under disabilities in regard to the mail service which are not experienced by any other town and district m New Zealand, and adds—

“The fact that an important centre of some 30,000 people living in one of the .most prosperous and busy towus in the ' Dominion I think we are sixth town m the list of exports—has at ordinary times to put up with about three mails a week, and these uncertain and irregular, would not b,e believed 1 other less important places, but it Gisborne is going to-suffer the local Post Office to delay an already late mail for a further 44 hours, it is simply intolerable People who might have received their letters bv the Tarawera on Saturday will not now get them until Monday, which means that , they are debarred the opportunity of replying to them bv the Sunday mail and must hug their replies to themselves until ’Wednesday at earliest or perhaps later. The Tarawera arrived., in the bay shortly after 4 o clock on Saturday afternoon and if the local Post Office people could not arrange for a counter delivery, it is time we saw them passed over and representations made to the higher powers,”

A “Times” reporter, on the above letter beipg received last evening, communicated with Mr J. J.-Pickett, the Chief Postmaster, and .asked Mhe would care to reply to.it Mr Pickett, however, contented himselr with the statement that no arrangements had been, made for a counter delivery, and' refused to go further with the matter. Subsequent inquiries* go to show that, apart from the private box owners, no effort, ws-s m3.de to deliver the Tarawera’s mail, which, after lying in the Post Office smee Saturday afternoon will be delivered this morning. . - ' ■ .