“CASH ON DELIVERY.”

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 21 December 1925, Page 6

“CASH ON DELIVERY.”

A CHRISTCHURCH COMPLAINT. DOMINION TRADERS DEBARRED. Indignation is being expressed by a number of Christchurch drapers and boot merchants at the facilities the Post Office affords to firms in Britain and on the Continent to do business on the “cash on delivery” system, but which are denied to firms carrying on business in New Zealand. The manager of a large city drapery stated that there was a tendency, .especially on the West Coast of the South Island, to purchase goods from overseas on this system. It was very interesting to note the facilities offered by the Postal Department for this type of trade. The department would deliver the parcels to any address, allow the goods to be examined and, if satisfactory, would collect the value. If the goods were not satisfactory the department would repack them and return them to Great Britain, the whole of this service being given free to the supplier, the only charges being the postage and the return postage, if necessary. New Zealand traders were not afforded these privileges. He pointed out that outside suppliers took the profit and contributed nothing to the revenue of the country in the way of income tax, land tax or local taxes. “When the Post Office is asked to give this service to us,” he said, “it says that it is because of some agreement in Madrid or some other postal service, hut nevertheless it is a weird kind of justice. The biggest supporters of this system are those who live in the coalmining centres and similar places. They are so tied up in the interest of their own country in getting elation for themselves and their friends that they see to it that the good money they earn in this country is sent to keen workers in another country.” Those who are in the lines of trade most affected bv the system do not consider it 'is likely to reach any dimensions in cities, where there are such large ranges of materials and the prices b>e so competitive, hut it is stated that, the smaller traders in countrv districts are not. getting a fair deal. _Threequarters of this class of trade is done with people in Greymouth and Westnort. and the explanation is given that a. large number of these people are immigrants. •