REGISTRATION OF MONEYLETTERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 932, 17 December 1910, Page 4

REGISTRATION OF MONEYLETTERS.

The post office, by means of a conspicuous notice placed over every posting-box in the Dominion, cautions the public against sending money and valuable articles in unregistered letters. Notwithstanding this warning, money continues to be sent by post in unregistered letters in the most careless manner. It will hardly be credited by people who exercise ordinary prudence in such matters that it is a common thing to find in the post office letters crammed full with bank notes, very often in the flimsiest of covets. Frequently the contents protrude from the envelopes, or are found loose in the mail-bags, having burst their envelopes; and as frequently letters filled with notes are carelessly thrown loose into railway-vans for the guard to deliver with ti e mails. Many other cases could be instanced ot carelessness on the part ot the public in sending money by post. It olteu happens that letters containing money are alleged to have been lost in the post office, and it has generally been proved that such letters were either not posted or were mislaid or lost after due delivery. When an unregistered money letter, alleged to have been sent by post, is reported missing, it may happen that suspicion is cast on every one concerned —viz., on the person supposed to have posted the letter, the officers of the post office through whose hands the letter would pass, and the person who would in ordinary course receive the letter from the post office either from a street-door letter box or a private letter-box, over the post-office counter, or from the hands of a letter-carrier.

No record is kept of unregistered letters, and persons who post such letters containing money expose to temptation every one through whose hands they may pass, and in the event of non-delivery suspicion is cast on many innocent persons. The public are again earnestly requested to register all letters containing money or valuables intended to be sent by post. Letters can be registered at every post office in the Dominion, and the fee lor such registration is only twopence. The Department sells registered-letter envelopes at all post offices. These are made ot paper of good quality, and are embossed with a 3d stamp representing postage ot id, and registration lee, 2d.

Receipts are given for registered letters. The letters are traced trom hand to hand, and a receipt obtained on delivery , therefore it is very rare that a registered letter is lost.

The best and safest way of sending money through the post office is by means of money-orders or postal notes. A money-order payable in New Zealand costs only 3d for each ,£5 or fraction of Postal notes tor is up to 2s 6d costs l /i d each; for 3s and ss, id :ach ; lor 10s, 15s, and 20s, 2d each.

Particulars in respect ot moneyorders and postal orders lor transmission beyond New Zealand may be found in the Post and Telegraph Guide, or obtained at any post office where money-order business is transacted.