Courier scheme killed

Press, 20 April 1979, Page 1

Courier scheme killed

PA Wellington The Postmaster-General (Mr Couch) has sharply criticised a decision by the Government caucus to drop proposals for a Post Office courier service. It is believed that the Government provided about 5100,000 last year to get the service off the ground. But yesterday at a news conference, the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) said the caucus view was that courier work could be done adequately by existing private firms. Mr Couch said he was “very disappointed” by the decision. Private couriers had moved to cater for this market and, in the process of expanding, they were making inroads into traditional postal business.

“The nation has a substantial investment in the postal system and the Post Office has moved to meet the competition by extending its long-standing mail collection and delivery arrangements to provide specialised door-to-door services,” Mr Couch said.

The courier service proposal had been an example of the postal service’s responding to customer needs and trying to improve its functions in a businesslike way. “It is now to be denied that opportunity,” Mr Couch said. Approval for the service had been declined on a principle which was ‘‘all right in theory” but which he personally doubted could be applied in every circumstance.

“I feel there has not been sufficient emphasis placed on the important fact that the Post Office is run on a business-oriented basis and is expected to pay its way and to contribute significantly to its capital development needs,” Mr Couch said. Mr Muldoon was asked at a news conference last week whether he would comment on the “strongly worded” statement by Mr Couch.

“Strongly worded?” Mr Muldoon replied. “So was my statement, simply to the effect that it is not going ahead. “It slipped through last year as a new policy, but it really should never have been started,” Mr Muldoon said.