POSTAL BUSINESS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23545, 4 January 1940, Page 8

POSTAL BUSINESS

HIGHER STAMP SALES THE CHRISTMAS RUSH FEWER LETTERS AND PARCELS [by telegraph—tress association] WELLINGTON. Wednesday Information made available to-day at the Chief Post Office, Wellington, shows that a heavy volume of business was handled in tho post offices in the four centres during Christmas week. Because of the increased postage rates stamp sales in all centres showed a marked increase, but there was a drop in the number of parcels posted. This was accounted for by the fact that this year small parcels were counted as packets. Figures for tho four centres are:— Wellington— 1038 1939 Stamp sales .. .. £3,923 £5,132 Parcels posted .. .. 25,119 17,018 Letters through postmarking machines .. 505,194 832,520 Mail-bags despatched .. 5.611 5,542 Mail-bags received .. 6,(581 •6,'292 Auckland — Stamp sales .. .. £3,069 £4,833 Parcels posted . . . . 26,241 24,313 Letters through postmarking machines .. 927,236 885,242 Mail-bags despatched .. 12,615 12,336 Chrlstchurch — Stamp sales .. .. £3,153 £4,261 Parcels posted .. .. 22,766 19,SSS Mail-bags despatched ... 5,952 5,224 Mail-bags received .. 5,034 5.451 Dunedin — Stamp sales .. .. £1,557 £2,115 Parcels posted .. .. 5.761 7.555 Letters through postmarking machines .. 403,701 375,217 Mail-bags despatched .. 3,731 3,178 Mail-bags received .. 3,537 3,378 Totals for four centres — Stamp sales .. .. £11,762 £16,341 Parcels posted . . .. S2.SS7 G9.104 Letters through postmarking machines (excluding Christchurch) 2,139,131 2,092,979 Mail-bags despatched .. 30,909 29.250 Mail-bags received (excluding Auckland) .. 15,552 15,151