RURAL MAIL BOXES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19140, 8 October 1936, Page 16

RURAL MAIL BOXES

STEADY EXPANSION TWO-WAV POSTAL SERVICE The Postmaster-General recently published reassuring proof of how the large Slate, department, under his direction had recovered from the depression in respect of the telephone and savingsbank business, but there is one phase of the many-sided business of tl;o Post Office which hardlv fell, the tuonomiu stress.

In March, 1929, the number of country residents who paid for tne rural mail box service was 19,338. Then the depression came with the fanner feeling the worst effects of the decline in world's prices of primary products. Constant economy became more and more insistent in the hope of keeping ex| tr.diture within the limits of a shrinking income, but the farmer could not do without the useful service of mails lo his gate and Hie rural boxholders kcri on increasing in number though the normal rate of acceleration was decreased. However, every year the total shcwid a widening of the range of the set vice until in March, 1936, the total i umber of rural boxholders was 24,723, shoving that through a frying economic period there, had been an expansion to the extent, of 5335 subscribers. The old rate of acceleration has been resumed, and at the end of July last the total had risen to 25,116. Rural boxholders obtain a two-waj postal service of unique character. Not only is their correspondence delivered at their gates in the specially designed boxes which are such a Familiar feature 0 r the countryside, but the boxholders are able to utilise the rural mail contractor for the dispatch of their correspondence and for other services which the town dweller can receive only Ingoing to the Post Office counter.