asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs why compensation was not paid in a case (details supplied) where a postal packet containing a blouse was damaged when passing through a conveyor band; if compensation will now be paid; if not, why; how many packets have been damaged on the same conveyor band since its installation; and the date of installation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Damaged Postal Packet.
20.
Compensation was not paid because the packet was sent by unregistered letter post. Compensation is not payable for damage to unregistered letter packets. No record is kept of the number of letter packets which open or sustain damage in the course of post. The conveyor belt was installed in August, 1967.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary say why it is that in some cases where parcels are sent by unregistered post compensation is paid but that in other cases such as this one it is not paid? I have in mind for instance the case of the ham which was converted, in the course of the post, into magazines. In that case compensation was paid to the sender. Why was it paid in that case and not paid in the case of the blouse which was damaged on the conveyor belt in the Central Sorting Office on the Department's own admission?
I read the reply as slowly as I possibly could in order to bring home to the Deputy the fact that the packet to which he was referring was sent by unregistered letter post. We pay compensation for some parcels which are sent by parcel post and which are unregistered. The significant difference is that there is no statutory provision for the payment of compensation for unregistered letter packets and this is quite similar to the international arrangement. The postage on unregistered letters does not include any element covering compensation and to do so would involve additional charges. These would not be justified and would be open to objection from the public particularly as the registration service is available to anybody who wishes to use it.
Is it not the position that the postage charges on parcel post are cheaper than on letter post? Now you have this Gilbertian situation in which people are getting compensation for using the cheaper rate. I think that should be advertised as a special amenity offered by the Post Office to the people—the cheaper postal service gives compensation, the dearer one does not.
I shall look at it again.