Ask Phoebe: NZ Post will do its best to deliver

Photo / APN

Any undelivered items with no return address are kept for three months before disposal.

I recently posted a "return to sender" letter which started me thinking about who owned that letter: me, the postal service, the sender, or the unknown (to me) addressee.

There is probably, as usual, no simple answer but I would appreciate your cogitations.

Ken Taylor, Auckland.

I cogitated long and hard, and then asked New Zealand Post. This is what their spokesman had to say: "Our contract is with the sender, for delivery to the name and address written on the postal item, in accordance with the Postal Services Act 1998 and the Postal Users Guide.

"The issue of ownership is not relevant to our contract for delivery.

"Where we are unable to deliver a postal item, because the address is wrong or can't be read, we will return the item to sender if the sender's details have been provided. If we don't know who sent the item, we will keep it in safe custody for at least three months. If it is not claimed, it will be destroyed or disposed of.

"It is an offence to open or keep a letter or parcel that is addressed to someone else. While it is common practice for people to return unknown mail items to sender by crossing out the address and writing 'Return to Sender', the Postal Services Act requires that the item be returned to New Zealand Post (so that we can do this), or delivered to the proper addressee (if you know the correct address, for example, a neighbour)."

So, instead of crossing out the address, you could leave the address intact and write 'Not known at this address' (or 'Return to sender'), which would allow New Zealand Post to carry on with their business.

In Triangle Rd, Henderson, there is a two-lane bridge for road traffic and two extra "clip-on" lanes each side for pedestrians and cyclists. I was following a cyclist who was in his designated cycle lane when he suddenly veered out on to the road instead of remaining in the cycle lane part of the bridge. Surely there must be some rule which requires cyclists to use a cycle way where provided? I would say that the extra structures provided for cyclists would have cost somewhere in the region of $500,000 on this bridge alone and as a ratepayer I am happy to pay providing the cyclists use it. Mike Smith, Henderson.

The Road Code for cyclists states that where provided, cyclists should use cycle lanes. There is no legal obligation for cyclists to do so, but in the interests of their own safety, it seems wise.

Regarding school zones, is there a local standard time that all schools in Auckland open/close and at which time this speed is enforced, or is it school by school?

Not having children, I have no idea what time "35 minutes before the start of school" and "20 minutes at the end of the school day" mean. Sean Ryan, Auckland.

Traditionally the school day begins at 9am and finishes at 3pm, although there may be local variations. The school speed limit signs should reflect this.