POST OFFICE SERVICES FOR SOLDIERS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 256, 30 October 1939, Page 3

POST OFFICE SERVICES FOR SOLDIERS

EXTENSIVE (AMP ORGANISATION One o£ the special war activities of| the post office is to facilitate the contact with home which is so much valued by the men now in the training camps in many parts of the Dominion. A large volume of mail and parcels business handled at. the camps during the Groat War provided tne department with experience which prompts it to make generous provision on the present occasion. Post offices are being constructed al Burnham, Trentham, Ngaruawahia, and Papakura. They are to be a.s com-1 plete a.s those in many fair-sized towns, for the average soldier sends and receives more than lhe average number of communications. Each I office wil be a sub-post office under the I department's direction, staffed by ii. | permanent officers. Ample public) space and counter-room is being provided because every kind of postal business is transacted. Soldiers will be able to send telegrams Trentham office, although conducted tempo*,irily in marquees, is already equipped with the teleprinter machine telegraph apparatus—and a number of telephone boxes will be provided there a.s elsewhere. as well as the usual facilities for Post Office Savings Bank, the issue and cashing of money-orders and postal notes, registration of letters, and many other services rendered by the post office. “We do everything except pay old age pensions,” commented an experienced postmaster in charge of one of these offices. Distribution of mail matter is to the i unit headquarters of the addresser. I and prompt delivery can be facilitated | if senders indicate name, rank, unit and the camp in the address. Men may be transferred from one camp to another, therefore soldiers should endeavour to keep their friends inform-' ed regarding chances of address, other-1 wise some delay must be caused; through the necessity for re-direction. I The post, office camp staffs will pa\| special attention to changes in camp personnel, in pursuance of its policy! of doing its part in keeping our sol-; diers in touch with home.