RUSH OF MAILS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20607, 22 December 1936, Page 8

RUSH OF MAILS

DELIVERING THE GIFTS RECORD EXPECTED ■ If postal traffic is a true barometer of individual prosperity, then the public of Timaru, in common with other parts of New Zealand this year have loosened their purse strings to an unprecedented extent. The few days before Christmas are always busy ones for postal officials, on whom falls the burden of hours of unremitting toil in response to the generous urge of the countless thousands who “give something for Christmas.” This year the mailroom staff of the Timaru Post Office are keyed up to face what they anticipate will be record traffic for the holiday season.

All last week letters, packets and parcels poured down the chutes of the receiving boxes in an unending stream, and if each consignment represented the expenditure of only 1/-, in the aggregate the postal traffic handled so far must be the equivalent of many thousands of pounds to Timaru shopkeepers. It is not usual for the rush to set in until Christmas week, but the general public this year posted earlier and the mailroom staff were working at high pressure all last week. Heavy Mails The rush began in earnest yesterday, however, when inward traffic totalled 204 bags and 68 hampers and 193 bags and 69 hampers were despatched. An indication of the increase may be had from the fact that on an average day 90 bags and 15 hampers are received and 88 bags and 14 hampers despatched. With such a good start for the week, it is evident that in the next few days postal traffic will easily eclipse any records established In recent years. To-day will be another busy day and to-morrow is marked on the mailroom staff's calendar with large black cross. On that day the English Christmas mail will arrive via Vancouver, and it is anticipated it will be exceptionally heavy. Added to the burden of ordinary postal matter, it will mean a strenuous climax to a hectic week for the sorters and carriers. For the last few days the staff has been on duty from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. on one shift and from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on another in order to expedite the despatch of the mails and if their burdens are increased postmen will have to take out heavy traffic licenses for their bicycles. Their machines were unable to cope with the load yesterday and no fewer than 84 overflow bags were left at vantage points for the carriers to pick up when they had depleted their supply of mail. Yesterday the carriers started on their rounds as early as 6.30 a.m. and in some cases residents received their mail before their milk. It was 7.30 last evening -when the last man returned to check in his empty bag and this morning they were out again at 6.30 with their load of good will gifts. Tomorrow will see the men on their rounds by 5 a.m. and that also will be the order of the day on Thursday. Many Transactions Made The mailroom was not the only busy department of the Post Office yesterday, however. Practically all day, the Money Order and Savings Bank Department was ■working at top and at times there was scarcely room to move in the space between the doors and the counters. It is estimated that transactions totalling many thousands of pounds were made during the day In addition to the ordinary business, pensions for December were paid out yesterday, and while the payments were most welcome to the recipients at this season of the year, they meant considerable extra work for the tellers. I an endeavour to avoid congestion, the old parcels office fronting King George’s Place was recommissioned for packet and parcel business and long queues of people waiting to ascertain the correct postage on their gifts remained undiminished throughout the greater part of the day. Even the Telegraph Department was busy for this time of the year, many early Christmas messages being handed in for despatch apart from ordinary business. It is not expected that this branch of the Post Office activities will reach the rush stage until tomorrow and Thursday, when steps will be taken to cope with the demand.