POST AND TELEGRAPHS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2051, 10 September 1920, Page 2

POST AND TELEGRAPHS.

HOUSE PASSES NEW BILL.

DELIVERY OF CIRCULARS ALLOWED.

Press Association.

WELLINGTON, September 9.

The House of Representatives tonight went into committee on the Post and Telegraph Act Amendment Bill. On Clause 4, giving the Postal Department a monopoly of the delivery of all addressed or unaddressed mail matter, Mr T. M. Wilford moved an amend-ment-limiting the monopoly to addressed mail matter.

The Tlon. J. G. Coates (PostmasterGeneral) said he could not accept the amendment. He thought it would .be better to leave the matter to be regulated by Ordor-in-Conncil. In insisting on this clause, the department was not seeking to penalise any persons or firm.

Mr Wilford said he had been assured that a certain postal official hail said that the clause was intended to crush one particular firm which had built up a big business in the delivery of unaddressed circulars all over the Dom-kuion. The Minister assured the Committee that such was not the intention, but as there was a doubt about it, he moved an amendment based on the British Postal Act, in which trade announcements, circulars ami advertisements were exempted from the clause. This amendment was agreed to.

Mr ,1. A. Young (Waikato) moved a new clause giving the right of appeal to certain officers of the department who hail been inadvertently deprived of that right. About 35 men were affected. The clause would operate over the period from April 1, 1919, until the passing of the Act of 1920. The Prime Minister' (Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey) advised the Minister in charge of the Bill to accept the clause, as it was apparent that otherwise an injustice would tie done. The Minister accepted the clause, which was agreed to, and the Bill was reported with amendments, read a third • time and passed.