POULTRY THROUGH THE POST.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11656, 11 June 1912, Page 4

POULTRY THROUGH THE POST.

DEPUTATION FROM .POULTERERS. . (Per Press Association.) Christchurcli, June ](). ■ The decision of the Postal Department to add the duties of fish carrier to. its already- multifarious labors has aroused, a considerable amount, of interest. Now the department is -being asked to. do something in the allied line of trade—poulterers. A deputation from the New Zealand Poultry- Association waited on the Hon. H. G. Ell this morning with some interesting proposals. The case for the deputation was explained hy Mr Merrott. The principal points were, the care, of eggs, which were already being sent through tho post, and a proposal that, the Department should carry day-oid chicks between the North and the South Island, and l to other places where, the railways did not penetrate. Day-old chicks were carried in America by the postal authorities, who made an arrangement with the express carrying companies. Chicks were also carried 1 in England, but he was not conversant with the method followed there. The Postmaster-General said that he was fully alive to the importance of the poultry industry, and he was convinced that: it was.going to be of very great value indeed', especially to small hmd- ' holders. The Agricultural Department was'.-encouraging the industry in. every jjossible way. and the Postal Departin.e.nt would help'it as far as possible. Ho. had not been aware that day-old chicks could be carried through the post until the fact had' been brought to his notice in Nap'ier. and he had been surprised, to leiarn that they were not to be fed for three, days after they: came out of - the shell. The department was already making inquiries in England: regarding th : e carriage o 1 ? eggs ■ and. live chicles. As to tUie carnage- of chicks, he would go into'that matter again with the "department.' The-, department had to cany all 1 sorts of packages, and had to-; put. the packages into water-proof hampers,, as they had' to be carried on .expresses and coaches. This raised ;i difficulty in regard to the carriage of live'chickens. The industry was at present' a baby one, and if special provision had; to bo made for one or a-half-a-dozen packages it w oil Id be very costly.