Council may run Raetihi Post agency

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 283, 18 April 1989, Page 1

Council may run Raetihi Post agency

Postal services and associated agency work may be run from the Council offices in Raetihi in the near future. At their meeting last week the Waimarino District Council agreed in principal to a proposal to take over the New Zealand Post agency and operate it from its Raetihi office. Councillor John Compton told the council that the prevalent view in Raetihi was that NZ Post won't entertain the idea of continuing to operate from its present office, and that the council office proposal was the best available option. He said it was hoped Postbank would

consider operating under such a system also, but Mayor Workman said they definitely would not. Postbank is withdrawing its services completely from Raetihi and won't discuss the matter further, he said. NZ Post regional manager Don Gordon had inspected the Raetihi council building, the councillors heard, and was enthusiast about the proposal. NZ Post would assist with any alterations needed, such as relocating the Post Office Boxes. Staff training would also be provided. Cr Compton told the meeting the agency work done by NZ Post such as motor vehicle relicensing and registration, accepting broadcasting fees,

road user charges etc, could continue. Department of Social Welfare matters was cause for concem with the removal of Postbank, council heard, but a voucher system was being looked at to allow the agency to handle such work. A separate merchant body would probably need to be set up by the council to run the agency, said Mr Compton. After discussing commercial considerations of the proposal in committee, the council agreed to set up a subcommittee to study the proposal. The committee is led by Cr Compton with Crs Doug Bennett, Ken Summerhays, and district manager John Murrihy serving on the committee.