Pensioners hit out at plan to cut postal deliveries
News that NZ Post plans to cut mail deliveries to three days days a week has left locals angry.
Letter volumes have been falling steeply in recent years - by almost 7 per cent last year alone - because of increasing use of email and texting.
Oamaru's Louisa Burrell, who is a member of a number of older person's organisations, told the Oamaru Mail she was annoyed that it was assumed everyone communicated through texts and emails.
"It's like telling every 60-year-old they have to learn to ride a motorcycle. It's crazy," she said.
Mrs Burrell believes it will take a generation or two before all older people understand the internet and emails.
"I am very strongly against it," she said.
'When you get something in the post, it's fabulous."
Mrs Burrell said older people would feel cut off.
"Don't forget that for some people it is one of the few connections they have with people," she said.
"I am quite disappointed. I think they are going about it the wrong way."
NZ Post external relations manager John Tulloch told the Oamaru Mail they could no longer ignore the statistics.
Comparing the number of cards sent at Christmas 2011 against those sent in 2012, there was a 20 per cent drop.
Mr Tulloch said if deliveries were not changed to three days a week it could result in frequent and significant price increases.
NZ Post understood that the two groups most affected would be those living in rural areas and older people.
"We have been engaging with Grey Power and have been listening to their concerns," he said.
"We have encouraged them and they will be making a submission."
Mr Tulloch said NZ Post acknowledged the change would cause a loss of jobs but he would not speculate on how many.
"It's not going to happen in weeks or months, it would be years," he said.
NZ Post would also consult the public over the next six weeks before the Government decided whether the changes should go ahead.
