NIGHT CLEARING OF MAIL

Southland Times, Issue 24210, 21 August 1940, Page 6

NIGHT CLEARING OF MAIL

Objection Raised To

Elimination

COUNCIL PROTESTS TO DEPARTMENT

A protest against the elimination of the night clearance of mail boxes in Invercargill was passed by the City Council last night. The council approved of the provision of mail boxes on tram-cars at 10 p.m. but this arrangement was described as a makeshift. When the Trading Committee reported the arrangement for mail boxes to be placed on tram-cars, Cr G. C. Broughton asked why the boxes were placed on the cars on one trip only. He suggested that they should be placed on the trams for the whole of the evening for the convenience of residents. Tire Deputy-Mayor (Mr J. R. Martin) said the 10 p.m. car was normally a slack one and was the only one which could be used for the mail service, without dislocating the timetable. “I think the council should protest to the Postmaster-General about the elimination of the night clearance of suburban mail boxes,” said Cr A. W. Jones. He said there would be no real saving of petrol and if there was it would not be worth while because of the inconvenience caused. If petrol was

so scarce the department should get a horse and cart. Under the makeshift arrangement of posting mail on the trams children might be sent out on wet nights to post mail and might be put in real danger. Invercargill was more severely penalized than other towns in New Zealand. He moved that a protest be sent. The motion was seconded by Cr R. T. Parsons who said that residents with cars would use them for posting mail and those without would have to go out in the rain and wait for a tram-car to post letters. Cr A. Scott said petrol was not the main question. The night staff for receiving mail had been eliminated. It was pointed out by Cr Jones that staff had to be kept on to receive the mail off the tram-cars at 10.30 p.m. Cr Broughton said that if there was only one clearance of boxes a day it should be at 11 p.m. The motion was carried. TRAM-CAR BOXES IN USE MAIL COLLECTION ON ALL ROUTES The provision of receptacles on the Invercargill tram-cars for the posting of letters began on Monday evening. Eighty-two letters were received, these being evenly distributed over the four boxes. The letter boxes are placed on the trams leaving the Post Office at 10 p.m. daily for Georgetown, North Invercargill, South Invercargill and Waikiwi and letters may be posted at the authorized tram stops on both the outward and inward journeys. When the trams return to the Post Office at 10.30 p.m. a postal officer takes delivery of the mail thereby ensuring the correspondence being included in the early morning despatches the next day. The letter boxes, which are about 15 inches by 12 inches, are placed inside of the tram-cars near the motorman.