Many Pitfalls In Packing Parcels

Press, Volume C, Issue 29674, 18 November 1961, Page 16

Many Pitfalls In Packing Parcels

Packing parcels for Christmas can be a tricky business, according to the Christchurch Chief Postmaster (Mr C. J. C. Simpson). He urges people sending anything at all unusual to study the regulations as to what may or may not be sent through the post and the special provisions for certain objects. Packing is important alvo for quite ordinary goods, he says. Among the objects which are proscribed altogether are most types of livestock, so that posting the cat, the children’s pony, or the children themselves out to their auntie in the country is definitely not allowed. On the other hand, if one wishes to post her live bees, leeches, or harmless insects for Christmas, that is quite in order, provided they have no means of escape. Prohibition Other prohibited goods include matches, explosives, prepared opium, radio-active substances, anything likely to injure staff or damage mails, and indecent or obscene matter. Lottery circulars are also ruled out unless approved by the Minister of Internal Affairs and anything relating to football pools or competitions of a like nature operated outside New Zealand. There are many objects which may be posted only under certain strict conditions. If auntie is fond of whisky, for example, or scent, or treacle, or disinfectant, nr any other liquid, she may be sent these only if they are wrapped in enough absorbent material to take up the liquid in the case of breakage. Quite frequently intended gifts of this sort have perfumed the mailroom for days, says Mr Simpson. Often they have not even reached the mailroom, being broken in the fall from posting slit to collection box. Posting intoxicating liquor has hazards, of its own apart from the general regulations on liquids. It is illegal to post intoxicating liquor for an address in a no-licence district unless the package is marked to indicate the contents. “Post Offices are authorised to retain a package not complying with this,*’ says Mr Simpson. Fruits Mushrooms and certain soft fruits must be enclosed in liquid-tight tins, and it is advisable to pack any soft fruit in this way, or at least in stout wooden cases. If poisons are to be sent, the conditions are at once again highly restrictive, especially if they are in powder, crystal, or liquid form. A parcel containing the bodies of protected wildlife must bear on the outside contents and the name of the sender; but this provision does not apply to mutton-birds. black-backed gulls, to large black, pied, and little shags, keas, and harrier and bush hawks. Fish and game must be in straw, enclosed in a textile cover-

ing. and marked “Perishable." There are also general regulations covering parcels. The maximum weight for a parcel for a New Zealand address is 28!b, and the maximum length is 3ft 6:n. or 4ft 6in for a parcel not over lin in girth, or total of 6ft in length added to girth. Responsibility Other general rules are that the sender of a parcel can be held responsible for any damage the contents may cause to other mails, and that the Post Office wil not take responsibility for damage to parcels unless negligence can be proved against the department's officers. This extends to parcels marked “Fragile” and paid for at the fragile rate. un. less they have been properly packed. Apart from objects which are likely to cause damage to other mails, there are many others which can be irretrievably ruined through insecure packing, says Mr Simpson. There are no regulations to cover these, as any loss is the sender’s and the addressee's. Very many children are disappointed every Christmas by toys which arrive broken and useless, while in other cases parts of a game get dropped out of a broken box in transit and the game is spoilt. Mirrors and photographs are also easily damaged; in fact, quite a number are broken every year simply by the knock they get when the receiving clerk cancels the stamps. “Some folk ask for trouble by bringing something they've bought straight round to the Post Office, and posting it without any attempt to wrap it properly. Mr Simpson says. “If only they would take things home and re-wrap them they would certainly use a lot more “Breakables should invariably be wrapped in metal, wood, or strong corrugated cardboard. Each piece should be wrapped separately, and soft packing put between the goods and the top, bottom, and sides. It is surprising how many people make a good job of the top and forget the sides. Any protruding part which can be disconnected should be taken off and wrapped separately.”