PARCELS POST CHARGES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16573, 4 November 1921, Page 11

PARCELS POST CHARGES.

A CONSIDERABLE INCREASE REDUCED BUSINESS R£BU LTS, A substantial increase in the rates for small parcels sent through the pru>l> was put into force yesterday under new regulations, which provide the f c.l low in g rates i For each lb and fraction thereof, 9d. Each successive lb and fraction, thereof up to and including 101 UFor each lb and fraction thoreoi up to 281bs, Id. , t For goods dispatched a» fragile an additional 9d, . Any parcel which exceeds 4 feet ±n length and girth combined win be charged the same rate as if it were 11 lbs in weight Under the old regulations parcels were allowed up to / feet in length and girth combined, and were charged the usual rate, Tjo drastic cut in the size of parcels is going to cause considerable inconvenience _ to those Anns, particularly drapers, who do a good deal of country trade by port. The head of the country order and mail department of one of the big drapery firms iu the city said yesterday that whoever was responsible for the regulations had not given, the matter a great deal of thought-, and it would be impossible for hi* firm to make an alteration in its system to comply with the new rates. Ab an instance he showed e. box measuring sixty-two inches, containing a lady’s hat. It was the smallest box that could be used for the purpose, and us a parcel it weighed 2lbe. If it were to be dispatched by post to Ivaiapoi the cost would be tho same as if it were an 111 b parcel- In addition it would have to go fragile. Otherwise it would be put into the ordinary mail bag. This meant an extra charge of nine pence, thus the total charge would be 2ft lid. Vlt is impossible for us to work under the regulation ” said this commercial man. ‘‘ We cannot have smaller boxes for suits, costumes and ladies’ hats. A box which conies within the regulation might carry nothing more bulky than a lady’s blouse.” The only thing to be done, ho added, was for firms in the position of his firm to get most of their parcel carrying done by motor delivery services. It liad been the custom to post goods to Akaroa, but now his firm would send them by motor-car, the oost being between one shilling and eighteenpence, as against 3s, and there was the possibility that the goods would be treated better in transit as the driver was personally 'responsible for tlieir delivery iu good condition. Tho Government would be making less in revenue, because it meant that wherever possible no goods would be sent even by rail. Where possible in future all the country delivery work -would be done by motors Ho added that it- would he quite reasonable if there had been a reduction to 6ft, but he could only think that an endeavour was being made to render it inconvenient to send goods, such as his firm dealt with, through the post.