LOWER POSTAL RATES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21251, 3 August 1932, Page 12

LOWER POSTAL RATES

increase in business EVIDENCES AT AUCKLAND PARCEL AND PACKET MAIL ' No steps have boon taken officially so far to gatigo tlie effect of the reduced postage charges upon the volume of business handled by tho Postal Department. It is found at tho Chief Post Office at Auckland, however, that there is a definite increase. Although letter business has improved, a greater difference is noticed in parcels and second-class mail matter. Tho latter comprises practically everything except letters in sealed envelopes. It includes tradesmen's accounts 1 in open envelopes, circulars, printed matter, commercial

papers and small packets. When tho postal rates were raised in March, 1931, there was undoubtedly a heavy drop in many varieties of secondclass matter. Business houses resorted as much as possible to delivering accounts by messenger instead of through the mails. There is some reason to believe that much of this class of traffic has been lost to the post office for a very long time. Firms having organised a new system are not inclined to scrap it at a moment's notice, especially if it shows a saving in cost. There is always the possibility, too, that the Government may feel obliged to raise the rates again. One largo city firm which sends out many hundreds of accounts- each month has only partially gone back to tho postal method. It still delivers about 80 per cent by messenger and posts accounts only to those addresses which cannot conveniently bo included in a round of calls. This firm, in common with others, also uses to some extent the system of sending out accounts with goods. Lower rates on printed matter have led to some revival of postal publicity, although circulars addressed to "the householder" are not affected by tho reductions, tho charges for them remaining on the former basis. The new schedule for parcels has removed a heavy handicap from mail order businesses of all kinds and especially those dealing in fairly heavy articles. On a 101b. parcel, for instance, the charge is now 2s instead of 3s, and the maximum weight lias been raised from 111b. to 141b. Newspapers aro not included in the reductions. The limit of 3oz. for to inland destinations is ■ retained, and, as the average daily paper is well over this weight, the charge in nearly all cases is Id a copy.