HUGE INCREASE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23081, 6 January 1937, Page 4

HUGE INCREASE

CHRISTMAS MAILS DUNEDIN AN EXCEPTION The Christmas business transacted in the Post Offices of the four main centres, from December 17 to 23 inclusive, shows an enormous increase compared with the previous year, Dunedin being the one exception. During those seven days over £II,OOO was spent on postage stamps, most of which, it may be assumed, were affixed to letters and parcels sent to relatives and friends for Christmas. About 70,000 parcels were despatched, more than twice the number in 1935. The sale of stamps in the four centres is shown in the following table, with the 1935 figures for comparison and with the total to the nearest £:—

Wellington, it will be seen, heads the list, whereas in the previous year Christchurch did. But between Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch there is very little difference. The Christmas Eve figures are not included in the above totals. By then the rush is over and the sale of stamps returns to somewhere near the normal figure. „ . _ What caused the falling off in Dunedin’s sale of stamps is unknown. The epidemic may perhaps have had something to do with it. Perhaps more missives were left personally and not posted. , The number of parcels posted in the four main centres during the week before Christmas Eve more than doubled 1935's total, and in this increase Dunedin also shared. The

Wellington once again produced most parcels for the postman to carry, but Auckland ran it closer than was the case in 1935.

1936. 1935. £ £ Auckland .. . . .. 3,068 2,202 Wellington .. , . .. 3,694 2,740 Christchurch . .. 3,443 2,895 Dunedin .. .. .. .. 1,018 1,395 Total .. .. .. £11,223 £9,232

figures were: — 1936. 1935. Auckland .. . - .. 22,294 8,199 Wellington .. . ,. 22,888 10,711 Christchurch .. .. 15,567 6,827 Dunedin 8.726 4,159 Totals .. .. .. 69,565 29,896