THE POST-OFFICE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3568, 25 June 1872, Page 3

THE POST-OFFICE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LYTTELTON TIMES

Sib, —May I request your correspondent “ Mercator, to once again read the fable of the “ Old man and his quadruped for in postal matters of late, and in his case especially, the folly of trying to please is clearly manifested. Upon the arrival of the Melbourne mail off Hokitika, the first care of the postmaster is the Canterbury portion, for h« must either signal “ take on ” or “ send off.” This depends upon day of arrival, and probable date of reaching Lyttelton. If the steamer reaches shortly after the departure of the Christchurch ■ mail, she would usually arrive at Lyttelton in advance of the next coach. In the ease however complained of by “Mercator” upon the appearance of the Eangitoto in the roadstead, enquiries were at once made, and the wires questioned. Bealey reported 18 inches of snow, this would mean several feet on Arthur’s pass; north and south reported severe weather, heavy falls of snow, and traffic blocked; the contractors were consulted, they foretold trouble ; with these appearances, and to expedite the mail delivery, the postmaster sent on by sea the Christchurch bags, deeming the detention of the overland trip highly probable. The coach, however, fortunately for its only passenger, but unfortunately for the Hokitika postmaster, made its trip with but little delay in getting through Porter’s Pass, but this was accomplished from the effects of the severe frost, enabling 'the driver in many places to pilot his team over instead of through the drifts. lam sure that no one in Christchurch, having any kn6wledge of the road, had the faintest idea of seeing the Hokitika coach arrive on Saturday night. Now, if our mails had .been snowbound several days, and the steamer had made an average passage, with what apparent consistency could “ Mercator" have indulged ihis habit in a tirade against the whole staff, of the postal service, and why are these continued groundless complaints-to - fill ybur columns, demanding replies to what “Mercator” well knows can only be given by the officials themselves, who are bound not to reply, and yet by their silence are to be pronounced by “ Mercator” as guilty of every offence under the sun. \

Your obedient servant, , TEAYELLEB. Christchurch, June 24,1872.