CHRISTMAS MAILS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12857, 19 December 1912, Page 7

CHRISTMAS MAILS.

(Per Press Association.)

AUCKLAND. December 17

Thousands of Christmas greetings to the people of New Zealand from relatives and friends overseas swelled the mail brought by the Mairura to-day to huge proportions. It comprised the largest quantity of mail matter ever landed at Auckland. Collected from every parfc of the United Kingdom, from "Europe, the United States and Canada, the big mail amounted to'ls73"Dags, of which the letter portion was; roughy, double the usual quantity brought by iihe Vancouver jsteamor. fy leasiily eclipsed the w<evious record, the Home mail received in Auckland via the Suez route last Christmas, -which amounted to 862 bags. More than half the postal matter in the mail was addressed to Auckland, the actual quantity being 516 bags. When the postal officials went aboard the Makura tney"found their labours greatly lightened by tho manner in which the officers of the steamer had anticipated their difficulty. As the vessel was approaching port a start was made with the work of collecting the mails from the many parts of the ship in which it had been stored, in readines for landing. By the time tho harbour -was reached the. wliole shipment was stacked on dock, and tho shore staff were able to convey it to the sorting rooni3 with a minimum expenditure of labour and time. There was no difficulty in getting the southern portion away at midday without delaying the* express. This morning tho IMalwa will bring 115 fbags iof AustJraWn mails and another largo English and Australian mail will arrive by the Marama on Friday. The mails goiner outward from Auckland are much heavier than in any previous Christmas period, and fully double the size of the usual mails.