Counter mail gets 3-month reprieve

New Zealand Post regional service delivery manager Murray Rei speaks at a Karitane meeting last...
New Zealand Post regional service delivery manager Murray Rei speaks at a Karitane meeting last night. Photo by Peter McIntosh.

About 120 determined Karitane residents packed into their community hall last night and learnt they had won a three-month reprieve from New Zealand Post plans to get rid of counter mail from the local shop.

New Zealand Post had earlier announced that the counter mail, a much appreciated part of life for Karitane locals for many decades, was an "anomaly'' that would end on August 15.

New Zealand Post regional service delivery manager Murray Rei told meeting organisers that any counter mail closure would be delayed for three months and dialogue would continue with locals, co-ordinated through local resident Geoff Lyell.

Concerned residents raised a mass of objections to the proposed closure, saying counter mail ensured mail security when residents were away and provided a vibrant neighbourhood hub where people could meet and talk.

And it was part of a crucial welfare network, given that if older residents had not visited for several days to collect their mail, they were telephoned to check on their welfare.

Mr Lyell took issue with suggestions Karitane switch to rural mail delivery, saying that was inappropriate given the densely populated character of much of the village.

Problems with mail delivery, worries about the cost of acquiring rural mail letterboxes and community safety issues were among a host of other problems raised.

Dunedin North MP David Clark asked Mr Rei for financial figures to justify the proposed move, urging "some transparency'' and the retention of the counter service, adding that "all the community want to keep it''.

"Why on earth would you not do that?'' he asked.

One local summed up the view of many by saying no "good reason'' had yet been given to justify closing the counter service.

DCC ward councillor Andrew Noone thanked Mr Rei and another New Zealand Post representative, Mark Wyatt, for attending and hoped a constructive compromise could be reached.

john.gibb@odt.co.nz

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