Parcel Post

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32166, 9 December 1969, Page 16

Parcel Post

Sir,—How many people, I wonder, are aware that if parcels are fastened with sticky tape they are charged letter rate; if tied with string, parcel rate? I presented a parcel for posting at the Merivale post office. The ends only were fastened with sticky tape and the whole securely tied with string. I queried the postage asked for and was told it had to go letter rate as the ends were taped. At another suburban post office I had read to me from the charges book that, ends only taped, it can go at pared rate. We are continually being asked to make parcels secure. Surely sticky tape and string make a near secure parcel. Why are we penalised for co-operation?— Yours, etc., M.S.A. December 2, 1969. -[The Chief Postmaster (Mr M. T. Reedy) replies: “Much of the confusion arises because many people term any wrapped article a parcel, whereas the Postal Regulations differentiate between parcels and packets. F.or an article to go at the cheaper packet rate it must’ be not more than Hlb in wmght and* if secured with cellulose tape or gummed paper, no more than one-third of the folds or edges may be secured in this way. If more than , onethird of the edges or folds are taped then the article should be charged as either a letter or a parcel, the rates for either of which are dearer than those for a packet The one-third limitation in taping does not apply to parcels but as with packets, they are

accepted by the Post Office on the understanding that they may be opened for examination.”]