Lick, stick, take your pick of postal options

It used to be so simple - buy the only stamps available, lick them, stick them on, then put the letters in the only post box on the street.

Now, deregulation of the mail industry means there are at least four options in Wellington - the old hand New Zealand Post, newcomer Pete's Post, National Mail and KiwiPost, an independent subsidiary of NZ Post with outlets at Shell service stations.

The latest arrival is Pete's Post, which began life in New Plymouth, the brainchild of unemployed man Pete Bell.

Preferring a job to a business, he sold the franchise, which began running in Wellington on Monday. It has a business agreement with National Mail, which launched in Wellington two weeks ago after being in Auckland for a year. Each will accept the other's mail, with National Mail focusing on business mail.

Price structures differ between the companies, and if mail is posted to a destination where the company does not deliver it will be passed to another company.

Pete's Post has its own distinctive round green boxes, in part to establish an industry identity, director Murray McBeth says.

Pete's Post stamps can be bought from 225 outlets in the city. It is offering an eight-week special of 30c deliveries in the Wellington region - Paremata bridge and Upper Hutt south - with a normal rate of 35c for letters up to standard business size.

Confused customers need not worry if they slip their mail into the wrong box. National Mail said the letters would be redirected.

- NZPA