DELIVERY OF REGISTERED LETTERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 June 1918, Page 3

DELIVERY OF REGISTERED LETTERS.

To the Editor* &ir>—-It >s most surprising that a man like W. J. Freeth, who, by stating that "lie lias lived in this district for lo years, had been sworn in by the Postal Department for certain business, etc, infers that he holds a position of some standing, should have been so unfamiliar I will not say ignorant—of the rules of the said department as to denounce our local postmaster, per the medium of your columns, for refusing to commit a breach of the regulations by delivering a registered document to other than the person to whom it was addressed. Though claiming no knowledge of the said rules, I have always understood that the regulations give the postmaster no option in the matter and that had he given the registered letter to other than the addressee, then Mr Freeth or someone else might have been justified in writing to the paper calling attention to the levity of the country post offices. I fail to see what Mr Freeth seeks to gain by informing the public that the subject of the letter is a returned soldier. One might imagine that in a matter of this kind a postmaster could scarcely be expected to be a respestor of persons. His regulations are clear, and it is his duty to abide by them. In the case of registered documents, it seems to me that if the law is to be set aside or interpreted by the "liberal reading" of "broadminded officers'" the whole object of registration will be defeated. Mr. Freeth does not "voice the sentiments of the whole farming community" in the matter, and, with others, I regret that our Postmaster should have been attacked on such ridiculous grounds.—l am., FROTH. Urenui, May 30.