DELIVERY OF LETTERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16499, 27 March 1917, Page 6

DELIVERY OF LETTERS

> INCREASING DIFFICULTIES. i; DEPLETED POSTAL STAFF., The steady depletion 'of the post office ; staff, 1 : as : more .. and more ■: men enlist for i active service, is making it increasingly hard for the : authorities to: maintain a ,: satisfactory service. Some of the difficulties with which' the post office v officials have to ■ contend were outlined yesterday by the chief postmaster, Mr. J. 0. Williamson, in discussing' the ■ effect 'of so . many enlistments; among ■ members of the staff. "We are experiencing the 'greatest difficult now," ho /said, ■ ■" in" the letter-1 sorting division. This is a, matter in which the public can help so greatly; :by careful and correct addressing :of all mall matter, that I think people should "understand the i position. Whilo' comparatively inexperienced men can be /entrusted with some ; branches of work, letter-sorting/re-quires riot only. a good . memorv, but months of - : training.?* Jlt \ was explained that alt letters and other articles addressed 'to city 'and suburbs and places in-all parts of the province / are subjected ■} to /primary ■ arid secondary sorting, being 'separated'into 60 divisions;;for letter-carrier delivery,"delivery over/counter,';'country divisions, and private boxes. Only experienced men can be entrusted with primary sorting, because, before they can undertake this, they must have memorised the/, post, offices :: throughout the Dominion, as' well as the names of private box-holders./ There about 2600 post offices in ; New':/Zealand;/'mails'/for about 450 :of which * are made up in Auckland. The sorter must remember in which of these 450 mails correspondence for -all the other/offices' must', be forwarded. -The private box Porting; imposes a still more severe/tax/ on the sorter's memory, for there are: in Auckland nearly 1100 private box-holders, and correspondence for ovor 4300 persons and: firms has to be delivered through their, boxes. '• . ■". ■ The delivery of mail matter through private . boxes 13 becoming a very "serious problem/for/the-; post office,"/ said Mr. Williamson, "for not? one letter 'in a > hundred / carries / the '■•'< number.// of / the [private box. If:' this wore added there would be an end , >: to one of j our greatest-, difficulties, .but; private'. box- j holders cheerfully continue to have their letters/ addressed "Queen Street,"// or ,1- Customs -Street," and expect-the'sorters to do the rest." IV: was stated that in ' Johannesburg, South 'Africa; thorb aro over 7500 box-holders, but no belter is'-' placed in a private box - unless 'it bears the number.-; v Postal Department, said Mr. Williamson, had.now come to the conclusion that the same rule would have to apply /at' all/ the principal post offices/in/ / Mew Zealand, for, as it is, sorters voro < being- asked to /do ; far more than was : reasonable.