POST-OFFICE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3565, 21 June 1872, Page 3

POST-OFFICE.

TO THE EDITOE OF THE LYTTELTON TIMES. Sie, —I have read several letters in your paper respecting the way mails ore made up for the various New Zealand provinces and also for the Australian colonies. The writers have endeavoured to fix the blame upon the Post-office officials, who are unable to reply, and although I have no doubt they may be somewhat to blame at times, I shall endeavour to show where the blame really does lie; and in this I have no hesitation in saying the fault, in the greatest measure, lies with the agents of the steamer, and this I will prove. The agents are bound to give the Postmaster 24 hours’ notice when the vessel will sail, and the agents receive telegrams from either North or South as to when the vessel leaves, or intends leaving. A case bearing out my assertions occurred this week. The Tararua was advertised to sail for Dunedin on Tuesday. To-day she is advertised for Wednesday, to-morrow she may be again advertised. Now, Sir, how are the post-office authorities to know when the mail is to be made up P they only go by their orders from the agents. As none of your writers have suggested a remedy, 1 wul propose one, as the arrival of the steamers are so very uncertain, and the telegraph office cannot be relied upon. Let the post-office authorities instruct the Lyttelton postmaster to send him, on arrival, the time the vessel will sail; this telegram could then be put on the notice board, with a statement of when the mails would close; and, if this were done, the responsibility would cease with them. There could be no difficulty in the matter, and the man who brings the mail on shore could be instructed to procure this information, and report it. If this plan is carried out, I venture to say there will be an end to the grumbling against the post-office. Your obedient servant, READER.

P.S.—Since writing the above, I find it is as I expected. The Tararua left Wellington, this day, shortly after noon, and, of course, no one knows until the vessel comes in, when she will sail; for the good of the community, I think the Australian vessels ought not to be advertised as they are.