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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1975
MISUNDERSTANDINGS OVER POST OFFICE BILL CLARIFIED
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THE POSTMASTER GENERAL, MR. MALKI ADDI, TODAY SOUGHT TO DISPEL ANY MISUNDERSTANDING OVER CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE POST OFFICE BILL NOW BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
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+CONTRARY TO WHAT SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE, HE SAID IT IS NOT ILLEGAL EITHER UNDER THE EXISTING OR PROPOSED LEGISLATION FOR LETTERS OR DOCUMENTS RELATING TO GOODS WHICH ARE SENT BY SEA OR AIR TO CONTINUE TO ACCOMPANY AND BE DELIVERED WITH THE GOODS.+
MR. ADDI EMPHASISED THAT THE NEW BILL DOES NOT SEEK TO INTRODUCE ANY FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN THE LAW IN RESPECT OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL'S PRIVILEGE. IT SIMPLY STATES MORE CLEARLY THE FULL EXTENT OF THAT PRIVILEGE.
+BECAUSE PRIVILEGES IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER ARE LEGALLY RESERVED TO POSTAL ADMINISTRATIONS IN ALL COUNTRIES, NEITHER THE POSTMASTER GENERAL NOR THE GOVERNMENT HAS THE POWER TO LICENSE PRIVATE COURIERS TO CONVEY LETTERS TO, OR DELIVER THEM IN, ANOTHER COUNTRY - UNLESS THAT COUNTRY HAS ALSO LICENSED SUCH SERVICES AND NONE IS KNOWN AT PRESENT.
+ÁNY SUCH COURIER WOULD, THEREFORE, BE AT RISK FOR BREAKING THE LAW IN THOSE PLACES TO WHICH HE IS CARRYING OR DELIVER ING LETTERS. AND THESE PLACES INCLUDE THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE UNITED STATES, MR. ADDI SAID.
HE ADDED THAT IN THIS CONNECTION IT WAS NOTEWORTHY THAT OTHER COUNTRIES ARE BECOMING MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST ILLEGAL PRIVATE COURIERS. IN FACT, THE MATTER WAS RAISED AT LAST YEAR'S UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION CONGRESS AT WHICH 150 COUNTRIES WERE REPRESENTED.
FEARS HAVE ALSO BEEN EXPRESSED THAT THE NEW BILL MIGHT RESTRICT THE OPERATIONS OF AIR FREIGHT SERVICES.
*SUCH FEARS ARE GROUNDLESS. THE POSTMASTER GENERAL DOES NOT HAVE, AND WILL NOT BE GIVEN, ANY MONOPOLY OVER THE CONVEYANCE OF GOODS FOR FREIGHT. HIS MONOPOLY IS CONCERNED ONLY WITH LETTERS, MR. ADDI SAID,
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