Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 - 1954), Friday 16 August 1918, page 7


A.T.L. CHRISTAIAS i'AICILS. • Judging by the huge vanloads dl parcOls which have latel\- left !the Genleral Post Oliice, 31elbourne, for shipment, to memcbers of the -.I.Ab. in the United Kingdom or France, there shoulld be a plentiful supply of gpod things for our soldiers at Christmas time. ItJ was originally, intended to .close 'the mail on Tuesday week, but owing to an alteration of the loading time lhe closing dlate was extended until Monday last. In the intervening period approxinately 50,00(0 addi, tional plackages were received at the liosi-ollice for despatch. Although the 'malil closed in the morning, the work of sorting the hampers, boxes, and parcels continued throughout the day, and Ilie postal authorities were unable to state with any degree of certainty what the approximate weight of the Christ.umas mail would be. It was cstimated, however, that the total number of packages would easily exceed 100,(0llll, representing a value at the very least of .C50,000. Last year the eagerly awaited Christmas niiil was not distributed among the troops until late in lianuary, and it was to avoid a recurrence this year that the 'losing date was altered from. September to August.