FOR COUNTRY DWELLERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7067, 3 March 1910, Page 1

FOR COUNTRY DWELLERS

RURAL MAIL BOXES EVERY FARMER HIS OWN (POSTMASTER. A NEW DELIVERY SCHEME. . "Every farmer his-own postmaster" will soon be well within tho region of possibility in New Zealand if a reform that ■the Post Office authorities are about to introduce meets with tne success it would seem to deserve. SpeaKing at Hastings a litttle time ago the Postmaster-General, Sir Joseph Ward, announced -the contemplated introduction of rural delivery boxes, which would practically enable every country' dweller to have a post office at Bis front gate if so -desired, and now -a sample of these wonderfully handy appliances has reached the General Post Office, Wellington, where it was inspected by a "Now Zealand; Times" representative yesterday. A (PRACTICAL DEVICE. "There-are some peculiarities about this .box Which make it- a very fine one; indeed, it is the only -really practical device for tlie purpose," declared tho'secretary to the Post Office, ■Mr D. Robertson, in explaining how the rural delivery box is worked. It .is a strong oblonig box of galvanised iron, email, but of ample size to accommodate, say, a dozen or more copies of the "New Zealand Times" as sent .through the mail. It is mounted at ttho end of a long arm, which in turn is free to slide through a holder which forms the top of the standard 'by ; which tho whole tiling can bo attached to a gate post, the trunk of a tree, or any handy object 'by the roadteide. When the'"post office" is empty, the box lies along 'the arm, which is held by a clip in a position roughly parallel to the road •lino; 'but, when the owrier posts a letter or paper, or the mail contractor deposits any packet inside, tho box is turned so as to rest at right angles to the arm, this being ; a sure sign that there is something to be removed. One of the chief advantages of the box -is'that it can be filled or cleared by the mailman without leaving his horse or trap. A ring is provided for ■this special purpose, and a. pull with the .whip handle will pause the arm to swing right cut clear, of the fence line.A further pull extends the arm to a length of about four' foot, so that the box at its end can be cleared without any trouble at all. When the mailman has finished, a slight push sends tho tarm hack into place and locks it into its proper position parallel to the road, where it cannot possibly be run into 'by any, passing vehicle. The whole appliance *te strong and durable, and being galvanised all over is safe from the attacks of the weather. ONLY' EXPENSE—TWELVE OR THIRTEEN SHILLINGS.

The Postmaster-General is now negotiating with the makers in America and it is hoped to receive a supply of the boxes before very long. ■A payment of about 12s or 13s_ is all that the farmer will have to give for the establishment of his post office, and after that the .postal authorities will do all that is necessary without further 'Ciharge. The pattern adopted in .New Zealand .is very largely_ used in Canada,, where the authorities find 'themselves hard "pressed 1 to keep up with the demand. It is hoped that 'its introduction will meet with similar I encouragement here. The box was \ invented hjy a practical man, a Georgia (United States) rural-letter-carrier, and is so simple that the United States authorities, who use other patterns, say that, by its introduction they would probably save aim (hour on each man's round. As a general thing the boxes will probaMy be installed at first only (along tlhe mail routes, Ibut they will be cleared 'and supplied every time the ■mailman .passes along. In mo"st places this will mean a daily, or, -at least, a thrice weekly seivice in the country districts, which will undoubtedly prove ia great boon to those living ait ia distance from the regular mail distributing centres. Another suggested application is for the 'convenience of those .in the very outskirts of cities land towns, for "the Postal Department anight quito likely find it worth while to extend the range of town 'deliveries if the people would be content to use hoxes isuch ha these.