STAMPING MACHINES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2622, 18 November 1915, Page 9

STAMPING MACHINES

CASH DEPOSIT SYSTEM

REPLY TO COMPLAINTS

A few months ago the Post and Telegraph Department, in dealing with automatic stamping machines with tho discount privilege, instituted a. cash deposit system at the same time. This action was considered drastic, and was brought beforo tho conference of Chambers of. Commerce, which decided to inquire into tho matter. Following upon tliat decision, Mr., C. M. Luko and Mr. H. D. Vickery (secretary) waited upon tho Secietary of the Post' and Telegraph Department (Mr. W. R. Morris), who, in his reply, indicated:— "(1) That New Zealand was the only country in the world which permitted the us® of automatic stamping ma- "( 2) That impressions made by tho machines were not recognised by t'he International Postal Convention. "(3) That it was never intended that discounts should be allowed to risers of stamps; that New Zealand was the only country which allowed discount on stamps, and t'jie discount was_ intended to be givfcii to licensed dealers in stamps only. The Postmaster-General had decided that the discount system so fax as it applied to stamping machines could not bo i reinstated. In point of fact, at cach of the centres & special clerk was required to look after the stamping machines, inspect them, and render accounts, and that tho expeuso of supervision was very much greater than any gain the Department might mako in saving tho cost of printing postage stamps. ' "(4) The Department was put to very great inconvenience owing to business lirms using the machines persisting in franking letters addressed to places outside .New Zealand, thus violating ono of tho conditions under which the machines were issued. Other countries would not recognise the impression, and consequently the Department had to employ officers to sort out letters so franked and re-stamp them. Tho Department re-stamped the letters without any expense to the users of the machine.

"(5) Mr. Morris read reports: from his Department officers showing that the machines- could bo manipulated e.g., two'or more impressions could bo obtained, under certain circumstances, with only one record on the dial. He also stated that tho machines, unfortunately, woro not mechanically perfect, and tho experience of the Department had shown that sometimes they wore over recorded and sometimes under recorded. In stressing this fact, it had to be borne in mind that tho Department, while it consented to the introduction of tho machines, had not actually supplied them. •'(6) AVith regard to tho institution of the cash deposits in advance against postages to be replenished weekly, Mr. Morris intimated that tho.. Audit Department had insisted that tho Postal authorities had no legal right to givo orodit for stamps, as it had done when the machines. were first introduced."

"Generally.) lie stated that tho experience had shown the Department that tho use of the machines was misatisfactory, that they woro really a, greater expense to the Department than if ordinary postage stamps were used. He stated that the Postmaster-General under no cirpumstances would bo prepared to alter the regulation regarding discounts or cash doposit. _ Recognition of the fact that the machines woro a great convenience to the commercial community had prompted tho Department in permitting the continued use of the machines.