Post Office faces loss to couriers

Press, 12 August 1980, Page 1

Post Office faces loss to couriers

the Post Office might, lose millions of dollars in revenue to private courier firms, and the president of the Post Office Union (Mr S; J. Bradley, has said the Government’s user-pays policy ’ is "costing the average New Zealander dearly.” . "Groups of businessmen are either, contemplating the use of private courier firms-or are grouping together to deliver mail on a: . collective basis,” Mr Bradley Said, according to a-PressAssociation report. ’“the; work which! will be lost is the more profitable work. This will increase the average unit cost of providing remaining' postal services and will lead to further increases in postal charges as the' Government seeks to implement its user-pays policy. “As the Government allows and facilitates the

giving away of the more profitable postal services, the average cost of pro* viding postal services is increased,” Mr Bradley said. '. ■ One Christchurch local authority has already engaged private courier services for accounts delivery. The Central Canterbury Electric Power Board engaged couriers because of the savings that could be made, said its general manager (Mr S. E. Slatter). Couriers handled most of the board’s urban accounts, and accounts in several rural areas. A Christchurch City Council. spokesman said the council might look at its delivery methods after the next increases y in postal charges, from October The council has. considered courier services be-

fore, but they were con* sidered no more economic than using the Past Office. The Christchurch Gas Company has not considered alternatives, and neither has the Municipal Electricity Department, which would have little use for postal alternatives as accounts are made-up and meters read simultaneously. A Press Association report from Wellington said the Tawa Borough Council is reported to be saving $2OOO a year by organising deliveries itself. Wellington’s Municipal Electricity Department , began paying its own staff, to make deliveries last yean They are believed to be paid 10c for each delivery.

The Wellington Gas Company and the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board have also organised their own deliveries. The Postmaster-General (Mr Couch) was reported as saying the loss of custom. would be only temporary. .He said the Post Office , offered reduced rates for deliveries such as authority accounts.