Mail Must Be Stamped, Says Chief Postmaster

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30127, 10 May 1963, Page 12

Mail Must Be Stamped, Says Chief Postmaster

It was nonsense to say that letters addressed to a postmaster or post office could be posted without stamps, said the Christchurch Chief Postmaster (Mr C. J. C. Simpson) yesterday

He was answering an inquiry to “The Press" about the matter. The inquirer maintained that letters addressed to postmasters or post offices, such as payments for telephone accounts or radio licences, did not need to be stamped by the sender. "Postage is required to be paid for anything sent through the mails There are no exceptions." Mr Simpson said.

X poll of 20 persons disclosed that four believed that letters addressed to postmasters need not t>e stamped by the sender. "I have never put a stamp on a letter to the postmaster nor to any Government department. 1 do not believe stamps for these letters are required.” answered one person "1 have never put a stamp on an income tax return or payment made by post," he said. “If the Eos’ Office charged the Inland Revenue Department surcharge for postage on a letter unstamped, the department would add the cost to his return.' Mr Simpson said when asked to comment on this view “We are a business organisation We are not carrying, sorting or redelivering mail free of charge for, ourselves or for anyone else." Mr Simpson said “Where would the Post Office get if it adopted any other attitude?"

When informed that a number of businessmen honestly considered that tele-phone-account payments did not need to be stamped, and in fact, were posted without stamping, and also, according to the sample poll. 25 per cent, of the person.*- in Christchurch apparently thought and acted in the same way Mr Simpson replied: “We will soon fix that."

Told that a reporter had been informed by persons working for the Post Office that letters addressed to postmasters and to Governmen’ departments need not be stamped. Mr Simpson said: “They have no authority to say that It Is not correct."