Rail Freight Embargo Imposes Curtailments On Holiday Shipments

A severe restriction is in effect on the dispatching of holiday gift packages to points outside the Boston postal district, according to officials of the U. S. Post Office and the Railway Express Agency. The curtailment is in accordance with yesterday's railway freight embarge, made necossary by the current coal strike.

Post Offices are not accepting any parcels over five pounds in weight, over 16 inches in length, and over 60 inches length and girth combined, according to William D. Berkeley, assistant superitendent of the Cambridge 38 branch. This restriction means that "Laundry boxes are out," Berkeley stated.

A spokesman for the Boston branch of the Post Office reminded prospective gift-sonders that the deadline for west bound backages was last month, but that parcels sent "special handling" or "special delivery" and under the weight and size limits may still reach their western destinations "with reasonable assurance." Emergency restrictions, however, do not hold for points within the Boston postal district or A.P.O. centers.

Both Railway Express and U. S. Post Office authorities made it clear that further restrictions will depend on coal strike developments.