Rural Mail Baxes

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 238, 8 October 1936, Page 6

Rural Mail Baxes

EXCLUDED FEOM RETRENCHMENT. The Postmuster-General recently pub tished leassuring proof of how the large State Department under his direction had recovered fom the depression, but there is one phaso of ..he many sided business of the Post Office which hardly felt the economic stress. In March, 1929, the number of country residents who paid for the rural mail box service was 19,338. Then the depression came with the farmer feeling the worst effects of tho decline in 'world’s prices of primary product. Constant economy became more and more insistent in tho hope of keeping expenditure within the limits of a shrinkng income, but the farmer could not do without the useful service of mails .0 his gate and the rural boxholders kept on increasing in number though •die normal rate of acceleration was de sreased. However, every year the total snowed a widening of tho range of the jfcrvice until in March, 1936, the total number of rural boxholders was 24,723 showing that through a trying economic period there had been an expansion to the extent of 5,385 subscribers. The old rate of acceleration has now been resumed, and at the end of .July last the total had risen to 25,116. Rural boxholders obtain a two-way postal service of unique character. Not only is their correspondence delivered at their gates in tho specially designed hoxes which arc such a familiar feature of the countryside, but the boxholders are able to utilize the, rural mail contractor for the despatch of their correspondence and for other services which the town dweller can receive only going to the .Post Office counter. For instance, the rural mail boxholder arranges with the contractor to stamp and post outward letters and to purchase money-orders and postal notes. Thu 3 the rural mail box system plays an important part in reducing the sense of isolation of country dwellers, whiie the post office telephone service provides a further link between town and country, reinforced by radio broadcasting, another State service.