CHRISTMAS GREETINGS.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 December 1923, Page 4

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS.

RECORD IN TELEGRAMS. HEAVY PARCEL MAIL. . A record in the number of telegram! sent forward from New Plymouth m any one day was established on Christmas Eve, when seasonal greetings from the ueoplc ol New Plymouth were being flashed ovei the wires. The number of telegrams despatched was 1680, the best previous total being 1300. Telegrams received numbered 1746, while, in addition, no fewer than 2142 messages were transmitted through the office. Although counted only once in making up the total, messages for transmission have to be handled twice, one operator being employed to receive them and another being required to forward them on to their destination. Every line was engaged and it was five o’clock on Christmas morning before the “all dear' signal was sent out. In the postal department there was also a busy time. The returns show a marked increase on the figures recorded last year, the number of bags and hampers of mail matter handled during the four days prior to Christmas being 1415. as compared with 1367 in the same period of 1922. The task of handling the m,ail? this year wm made more difficul* by reason of the big increase in the number of parcels received for despatch to other parts of the Dominion and for delivery in New Plymouth. No figures ore available as to the actual number of parcels handled, but a Daily News reporter was informed that the total must easily eclipse the highest for several years back. As far as the postmen were concerned their busiest day was on Christmas Eve. Dumps of mail were left at numerous houses on their rounds for them to pick up, but so great was the number of letters and small packets that they had to deliver that the majority were over two hours behind the usual schedule time in passing various residences. The sale of stamps at the chief post office during the four days Thursday tn Monday revealed an increase over last year of £303 10s, this season’s sales being £1207, as compared w’’th £903 10s during the same period of 1922