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Refer ‘From the Bay – To the Bush’ P 82 “Mails by Rails”
When the line opened to Palmerston North a Railway Travelling Post Office was established from 9 March 1891. Two postal cars were provided, 1 based at Napier and the other at Palmerston North and was attached to the daily express. A Sorter from the terminus post office mailroom, designated mail agent, would board the car with sorted and unsorted mail would be put off at points along the route and beyond. As the train progressed mails would be thrown off and from halts other mailbags taken aboard. At Makotuku or Matamau the agents would exchange trains and return to their home base.
Distinctive postmarks were supplied for the back datestamping of mail to in transit as well as cancelling letters posted through the late fee box. The Napier mail agent’s datestamp read NAPIER RPO, and that of the southern agent PN.N.R.P.O.