Manawatu Daily Times [ESTABLISHED 21st MAY 1875.] FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1922. A POST OFFICE IN NAME ONLY.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2473, 13 October 1922, Page 4

Manawatu Daily Times [ESTABLISHED 21st MAY 1875.] FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1922. A POST OFFICE IN NAME ONLY.

The railway travelling post office attached to each express or mail train is a rapid and conA'cnient means of sorting correspondence into districts, toAvns, and streets, ready for immediate delivery on arrival at the address given, or for transit from the distributing centre. This obviates much delay and enables the mail coach, the rural delivery, or the lettercarrier to start out Avithin a few minutes of the arriA r al of a heavy train-load of mails. The van is fitted Avith all the coiweniences of a post office, e\ r en to the official date stamp and the name, which are both abbreviated to “R.T.P.0.” Tavo capable officers, skilled in the geography of the Dominion and of each postal district, city, and street, comprise the staff on the journey. Their duties on the long clays’ trips Avould be monotonous, but for the occupation and the alternate respite from labours on route. They have certain other privileges and alloAvances, so that altogether they are efficient, satisfactory, and satisfied men. There are, however, insects in the honey, so far as the passengers and the public are concerned. The travelling post office is not for the use of travellers or the public, and it, is a post office in name only. It is fully equipped, even to the orthodox posting box; but the traveller must pay a fine if he desires to use it, and as for use by the public of the towns through which this nominal post office passes, it is further guarded against by porters holding the gates to the station platform at the very time Avhen the whole staff should be attending to the luggage and convenience of embarking and disembarking passengers. So much for appreciation and for destructiA r e

criticism. A small measure of constructive assistance may now be offered. The conveniences necessary to popularise and make this costly little post office pay its way are so simple and so obvious that their absence has altogether escaped official attention. We take it that the main objects of all public services arc twofold —to give public service, and to help the revenue, or at least to pay their way. Precautions against these ends are too often carried to absurd extremes, and made to overshadow the real object of existence. Quite naturally, travellers and the people generally, would expect to buy stamps, post letters, send telegrams, obtain postal notes, and even in these days receive wireless messages at any post office, whether it Avas on Avheels, on the water, or on concrete piles. The instinct of the official mind is to consult the official convenience; but happily the politician thinks more of his constituents.