BUSY POST OFFICE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17663, 27 December 1920, Page 6

BUSY POST OFFICE

HEAVY CHRISTMAS MAILS, INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR. FEWER TELEGRAMS SENT.' The recent increase in postal charges apparently had no effect on the quantity of mail matter handled in Auckland during the Christmas period. Tho returns for tho four days ended on Christmas Eve show a marked increase us compared ttith tho corresponding period of last year, and the officials at the chief post office experienced u very busy time in coping with tho rush of business. Tho total number of mail bags and hampers, both outward and inward, dealt with during tho four days was 9363, or 820 moro than in 1919, when the total was 8543. In 1918 tho number was 6740. The sales of stamps at tho chief post office during tho four days amounted to £5647. This is £876 Jess than bust year's total of £6523, but this is more than accounted for bv tho recent constitution of the new Waikalo postal district, with its headquarters at Hamilton. Tho telegraph office did not share the increased business experienced by tho postal branch of the department. A largo volume of business was handled by the telegraph office during the four days, hut tho total was much less than that for the similar period last year, when a record war> established. The decrease was no doubt duo to the increased telegraphic charges. During the four days 18,916 messages were forwarded, and 22,471 were received, while 56,833 were transmitted, making a total of 97,220 as compared with a total of 110,460 for the corresponding period of last year, when 21,544 messages were forwarded, 27,166 received, and 61,750 transmitted. On Christmas Eve the oflico handled 30,141 messages, of which 7224 were forwarded, 6967 received, and 26,951 transmitted. Tho number of messages on Christmas Eve, 19.19, was 16,102, and in 1918 the number was 29,228.