18 NOVEMBER 1949, Page 32

Post Office and Public

Sta,—Before the war I lived at Dorchester, Dorset. - To reach London by the first delivery next morning, I could post a letter in the pillar-box at 8.30 p.m.; at the post office at 9.30 p.m.; or, if I were prepared to spend twopence on my letter, I could go to the station and put it on the mail train up to 10.17 p.m..

Sir, I am writing this letter to you a hundred miles nearer London. It is now five to six, and if I am to save myself a mile's walk to the post office, which would give me an hour's grace, I must haste to 5 i gn myself.—Yours faithfully, W. M. NEWTE- Gayhurst School, Gerrard's Cross, Buckinghamshire.

SIR,—I was sending a telegram to South Kensington on a mast Wednesday afternoon from the General Post Office at Reading at 4.30. I was told that delivery that same day could not be guaranteed. The Postmaster-General may like to add this to the collection he must .he making of the comments re our postal service that are now appearing

in the Press.—Yours truly, R. E. T. BELL. The Vicarage, Nettlebed, Henley-on-Thames.

SIR,—Your correspondents are rendering a public service in draping attention to the fact that the postal services are today less efficient than they were a generation ago. One particular instance, out of many that

might be given, concerns the Spectator, which I receive by post. Occa- sionally it reaches me by the first delivery on Friday (say at about 9.15 a.m.); more frequently by the last delivery (about noon); not infrequently by Saturday morning's delivery. At a guess I should say that the date and time of despatch from your office is pretty constant.—Yours faithfully,

St. Peter's Vicarage, Hereford. W. J. HOPKINS.