Sunday 4 March 2012

Rural Route Notices 1921 to 1931


Beginning in the August 1921 periodic notices began to appear in the monthly Postal Guide Supplements to address a problem with the Rural Route delivery of unaddressed circulars.  The August 1921 notice read:

“Notice to Postmasters of Distributing Offices for Rural Routes.- It has been brought to the attention of the Department that in certain instances, Rural Mail Couriers have accepted Advertising Literature for distribution direct from the advertisers or agents, this literature bearing no postage.

Postmasters of distributing offices for Rural Routes are accordingly to warn Royal Mail Couriers that it is a violation of Postal Regulations to accept for distribution any matter not mailed in the regular manner, and which does not comply with regulations in regard to postage.”

The wording of a notice was changed slightly in the November 1925 supplement to further clarify the term advertising literature. It read:

“Notice to Postmasters of Distributing Offices for Rural Routes.- It has been brought to the attention of the Department that in certain instances, Rural Mail Couriers have accepted hand bills, notice of meetings, etc., for distribution direct from the advertisers or agents, these items bearing no postage.

Postmasters of distributing offices for Rural Routes are accordingly to warn Royal Mail Couriers that it is a violation of Postal Regulations to accept for distribution any matter not mailed in the regular manner, and which does not comply with regulations in regard to postage.”

The same notice was printed in the March 1929 Supplement this time adding the words “circulars soliciting newspaper subscriptions” to the material descriptions


The March 1929 supplement notice was subsequently repeated in the March 1930, March 1931, November 1931 and December 1931 monthly supplements. The warnings may have repeated in subsequent monthly supplements but I do not have access to further supplements.

everyhouseholder

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