MAILS FOR SOUTH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22741, 29 May 1937, Page 14

MAILS FOR SOUTH

LATER CLOSING TIME THE LIMITED EXPRESS 15 MINUTES' EXTENSION ADDITIONAL 20,000 LETTERS The handling of at least an additional 20,000 letters within a brief 15 minutes is the problem set postal officials at Auckland as the result of the decision to postpone the closing time of the afternoon mail conveyed to southern centres by the limited express from 5 o'clock to 5.15. This action has been made possible by the intended departure of the express from Auckland at 7.15 p.m. instead of 7 o'clock. The new schedule, which will come into operation on Sunday, June 20, has been brought about largely as the result of representations made by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, which explained to the Railway and tho Post and Telegraph Departments that the present time of 5 p.m. proved somewhat awkward for the business community. In a circular to commercial houses in the city tho secretary of tho chamber, Dr. E. P. Nealo, points out that tho alteration lias involved considerable reorganisation in the arrangements of tho two departments that are concerned and states that it can be maintained only if reasonable co-opera-tion is forthcoming from tho business community. Relieving the Strain While business houses may profit from the advanced time ofe closing tho southern mail, postal officials will be deluged with additional correspondence all of which will entail sorting in practically tho same time as before. 1" ull preparations are being made to cope with tho rush and a further six sorters will he added to the large number of officials who handle postal matter between 5 and 7 p.m. The only method of relieving the strain on a staff already harassed during the peak period in the early evening is said to lie in early posting, aud the public is to despatch as much mail as possible before 5 o'clock.

Postal officials pointed out yesterday that the main increase in their work would arise from the fact that, in addition to the mass of urgent mail which, in the past, has been posted belore 5 o'clock, further large quantities of letters will, as before, bo deposited in the boxes in the 15 minutes that follow. These will now bo included in the sorting for the limited express. Recent tallies have suggested that a further 20,000 or 25,000 letters will ho handled. Maxims for Mailing Maxims for mailing aro set out in a circular which, prepared by the Chamber of Commerce, has been distributed throughout Auckland commercial houses. If reasonably late times of closing are to be maintained, it is stated, more attention must be paid to certain points calculated to facilitate the woik of the sorters. "Post early and often," is the first rule set down by the chamber, which also makes the recommendation that, if a large number of letters are being mailed together, it is advisable to place them in the packets aperture tied in a bundle with all the letters facing the same way. Mail posted in this way will be dealt with just as early as matter sent through the opening specified for letters. If window envelopes are used the suggestion is made that typewriter Gibbons should be changed with reasonable frequency and writers are asked to refrain from using dark blue or other tints of paper which are not quite distinct from the typewriter impressions. In addition, the addressee's box number should be included wherever possible.