CHRISTMAS MAIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20724, 18 November 1930, Page 11

CHRISTMAS MAIL.

THE LAST FOR EUROPE.

NIAGARA SAILS TO-DAY.

ACTIVITY AT POST OFFICE. The last mail of the year from Auckland which ran roach England before Christmas is now being handled hy the staff nL the chief post, office, hut so good is tho organisation available for this gigantic task that, apart from thn huge stack of mailhags awaiting transfer to the Niagma, there is no evidence of abnormal activity. This mail is to close at 10 a.m. to day and is scheduled to reach London on December 18.

The staff at the chief post office has

been busy for some days receiving and preparing tho mail for despatch overseas, and as consignments of let tors arrived firm the, numerous post, offices in thq suburbs and country districts and from tho towns in tho South they were sorted, made up into bags for sending awav and then stored pending thn arrival of the Niagara from Sydney. This systematic method enabled the staff to keep pace with the flow of mail nnd while all tho available members of tho staff will be required for duty this morning when the last rush of postings is expected, it is confidently anticipated that there will he no hitch. A start was made yesterday to transfer the accumulated mail to the Niagara at Prince's Wharf.

Suburban post offices are experiencing their share of the last rush of the Christmas mail for England and they are assisting materially by quick despatch to the chief post office. This plan will bo fo]. lowed up to the last closing to-day nnd, in addition, extra men will bo put on to assist with tho clearing of street pillarboxes, so that there will be no risk of any mail intended for despatch bv tho Niagara missing the ship. The mailroom at tho chief post offico presented a scene of feverish, yet ordered, activity yesterday, but this was largely due to tho arrival of a large Eastern and Australian mail from Sydney hy the Niagara. It included 158 bags for Auckland. Another heavy mail from England and America is expected this morning. It reached Wellington by tho Maunganui yesterday and the Auckland portion of 470 bags should arrive in the city by train this morning. In addition to the heavy mail to bo sent away by tho Niagara another fairly extensive consignment will be transferred to the Federal Lino steamer Hertford, which is to sail for London to-morrow. Speciallyaddressed correspondence and secondclass matter, which is carried at direct rates, will be taken by the Hertford. Tho despatch of this mail will provide another opportunity of sending Christmas numbers of the Auckland Weekly News to friends abroad at the postage rate of one penny. Christmas numbers of the Auckland Weekl? News can also be sent hy the Niagara's mail, but the postage by that routo is Sd.