Residents Asked Not To Leave Coins For Unstamped Letters In Mail-Box

Wanganui Chronicle, 8 December 1950, Page 3

Residents Asked Not To Leave Coins For Unstamped Letters In Mail-Box

The approach of Christmas is, to the postmen, a busy period. For the next three weeks with his heavy pack, he will cycle around Marton’s streets delivering thousands of letters and parcels bringing good cheer to many householders.

The festive season is also a busy time for the rural mail contractors, for besides delivering mail to the remote farm houses in the country, they will be bringing in parcels and letters from those who find it inconvenient to come into town to do their posting.

An appeal for co-operation was directed to country folk by a Marton rural mail contractor yesterday. There was a growing' practice, he said, of country residents leaving loose coins in the rural mall boxes for payment of postage on unstamped correspondence and parcels for posting in Marton. In some instances it had reached such proportions as to become embarrassing both to the Post Office and to the mail contractors. The system was frowned upon by the department, and during the busy Christmas rush it was certainly unwelcomed by the mailman. Affixing stamps to parcels and correspondence collected on the various routes caused certain inconvenience. The contractor explained that although it took only about a counle of minutes to stamp the articles, over a period of a day. this time grew considerably, with the result that contractors were finding it difficult to maintain their scheduled timetables. Furthermore, he added, some contractors had been involved in financial loss as a result of coins being dropped when boxes were being cleared.

All rural mail contractors, he said, carried sunnlies of stamns for sale, and it would be appreciated if country residents would purchase regular supplies f n r affixing to their letters and parcels, before placing hem in the box for collection.

For the information of rural residents, the contractor said the postage on parcels up to 31bs was 9d, from 3 to 71b is 6d. 7 to 1.41 b 2s Bd, 14 tn 211 b 5s Gel. The packet rates .were 3d for the first 6ozs. and Id each additional 2oz. up to 11b. Over 11b the charges were at parcel rates.

Concluding, the contractor appealed 1o those served by the rural mail deliveries to assist the mailman by purchasing their stamns beforehand, especially during the coming Christmas rush.

CRICKET CLUB AMALGAMATION.

No agreement was reached by the Porewa and Marton Cricket Clubs when members met on Wednesday night to consider a proposal for amalgamating. It was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the management committee og the Rangitike' Cricket Association, and to abide by any decision made by that body. The suggestion to amalgamate was made last month, when both Marton and Porewa were experiencing difficulty in fielding teams in the weekly competitions. The amalgamation of two clubs, it was stated, would obviate the bye each Saturday and assist in strengthening cricket in the district.

At Wednesday night's meeting spokesmen from each side considered thr.t now that the golf season had concluded their respective clubs would be able to field full teams after the Christmas recess, although there may be odd occasions when their ranks may be thin due to counter attractions and seasonal occupations. TOMORROW’S CRICKET. The final club games before the Christmas recess and the first icpresentative cricket match of the seasun. will commons in Ran * «kei tomorrow. Two gamps will b.j played at Marton and one at HunrerviHfMarton DH School, who are third in the competition, will play Sanson

at Marton, this ’ e.fig fne southern club’s first visit to headquarters this season. This should bo an interesting match. Tim ♦wo leading temps, Ilunlerville and Old Boys will meet at Hunterville, and here again should bo an exciting tussle. Porewa and Marton, two clubs which were considering amalgamating because of a shortage of players, will supply the remaining a 1 fraction at Ma.'on.

Full fixtures and allocation of wickets are:—Marton v. Porewa at Marton (No. 1 wicket.' ; Marlon D.H. School v. Sanson,, at M : *.:h<n 'No. 2 wicket); Hunterville v. Old Boys, nt Hunterville; Suburns a aye. Teams are:—

Porewa: A. B. Marshall. A. Fuller-ton-Smith, M. Sh.m 1. N. Williams. R. Graves, R. Judd, J. McLeod, J. Shand, R. Arkwright, and J. Dunford. Old Beys: A. r. Fitrler. E. Zander, L. Cookery. T. Dickson. D. Anderson, R. Webber. V. Simcox. J. Fittler, C. Simcox, D, Board, J. Simcox, 12th man.