CASH-ON-DELIVERY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 127, 1 June 1927, Page 8

CASH-ON-DELIVERY.

OBJECTIONS OF TRADERS.

AND THE DEPARTMENT'S VIEW

MR. COATES HEARS BOTH SIDES

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday.

"At the outset we want to establish this position that we are the test judges of what does or does not affect our own business," said Mr. W. Simm, the spokesman of a deputation which asked Mr. Coates to reconsider the attitude regarding the cash-on-delivery parcels system. "Government Acting for Merchants." Mr. Simm asserted that had there been no institution of the system by the Postal Department, following a postal conference, nothing would have been heard of the demand for the system in New Zealand. They had no quarrel with the mail order business. If a purchaser in New Zealand wished to send money to England for goods to be delivered by parcel post they had not the slightest objection. They did object, however, to t? * Government acting on behalf of British merchants in the matter of collecting and transmitting payments for parcels on delivery. They had no desire to restrict importations.

Mr. C. A. Bowden, president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, said the protest had been endorsed by all the chambers in the Dominion, which viewed the system with great concern. West Coast Using System. Mr. S. M. Harrison, principal of the secretary's office of the General Post Office, said the system had been introduced in New Zealand at the request of the British Government, which asked the New Zealand Government to co-operate in the service. The officials of the post office were unable to see that the system had grown to such alarming proportions as had been stated. He said that in certain districts, notably on the West Coast of the South Island, there had been a great growth in business. He suggested that the increase was accounted for by the transference from the ordinary mail order system to the C.O.D. system. Mr. Siuim: We do not agree with that.

Mr. Harrison quoted departmental figures in support of his contention. He said that last year C.O.D. parcels to the Dominion increased by 12,799, whereas ordinary parcels from Great Britain increased" by only 3SC3, a difference of almost 9000. So far as the post office was concerned it was only providing a service that had been asked for.

In reply to a question by the Prime Minister, "Mr*. Harrison said retail firms in New Zealand themselves had made use of the C.O.D. system.

Mr. Sinim said boots and shoes were coming in by the C.O.D. system and evading the "inspection required und>>r the footwear regulations. Importers, on the other hand, were compelled to submit their goods to rigid inspection to guard against "shoddy." Public Interest Involved. The Prime Minister said it wa9 a matter whether the case made out by the deputation was sufficient to outweigh the point of view of public interest and benefit. He would consider setting up a small committee of inquiry, but his main consideration would centre around what the disadvantage might be to the retailers and the set-off to the public.