Company bribes to P.O. employees not denied

Press, 4 February 1987, Page 9

Company bribes to P.O. employees not denied

PA Auckland The Post Office says it does not deny that some of its staff may be taking bribes from companies wishing to avoid a long wait to have telephone

systems installed. In Auckland, where some companies face a wait of more than a year for the installation of telephone services, crates of beer and cash have speeded the work, according to the trade publication, “Computerworld.” It says that one large company cut a five-month delay on part of its equipment to two weeks by sending a large consignment of Steinlager to a Telecoms office. Mr Brian Erikson, the acting Auckland regional engineer for telecommunications, said the Post Office did not deny that such practices existed but had no evidence to confirm the “Computerworld” claims. “We have something like 400,000 customers and we are not able to audit what each person gets installed,” he said. Only after a complaint had been received could the Post Office investigate., allegations of bribery. Mr Erikson said that after one complaint a staff member was recently dismissed for ac-

cepting cash for work after hours. “It is not our way of doing business. Our intention is to meet demand when it occurs.” Bribes of cash or beer were highly irregular. At present small businesses in Auckland face a wait of about 12 weeks for the installation of telephone services.