Early post was a shambles. Hobbled together by whalers, missionaries and traders using occasional passing ships to transport messages and goods.

In the 1830s there was a more structured approach when some Bay of Islands merchants were instructed to manage incoming and outgoing mail. This new strategy was driven by the postmaster general of New South Wales.

The first official post office was opened in Kororareka in 1840. The lieutenant governor, Captain Hobson arrived in the Bay of Islands and appointed a certain William Clayton Hayes as postmaster. Hayes lasted 6 months before being relieved of his duties for the neglect of his post and constant inebriation.

As settlements popped up throughout New Zealand, the demand for a functioning postal service grew considerably.

In 1856 The Local Posts Act was formalised shortly followed by the Post Office Act of 1858. Towards the end of the 1860s there were postal deliveries, packages, money order service and savings options running.

In 1880 there were over 850 post offices in New Zealand!

As New Zealand’s population expanded, the communication need boomed and by 2017 there were:

• Over 1700 branches
• After hour deliveries of parcels
• Restaurant delivery
• More rural delivery options

Originally a strong asset for the New Zealand government as a state owned enterprise, the postal service deregulated the government’s monopoly on post in 1998 meaning competition came into play.

Under current legislation, anyone can process and deliver mail, at any cost. They just need to be registered as a postal operator with the Ministry of Economic Development.

The New Zealand postal service asks that: “You must use our services wisely and exercise common sense”.

They clearly state you cannot post something that is prohibited or restricted, unless you have explicit permission from an authorised New Zealand representative.

The information goes on to read that it is your responsibility as the sender to check whether an item is legally prohibited or restricted.

The postal service retains the right to open and check contents of packages. They also reserve the right to refuse delivery.

Here are the categories of prohibited items:

• Ammunition and weapons
• Bleaches and poisons
• Batteries and corrosives
• Combustion engines
• Compressed gas
• Explosives and fireworks
• Flammable gas
• Flammable liquids
• Flammable solids
• Matches and lighters
• Valuables

You can view the full list on the New Zealand Post website.

Other prohibited items include:

• Animals except correctly packaged live organisms (bees, leeches, silkworms and harmless insects)
• Medicines or Controlled Drugs
• First aid kits
• Furs and skins (untreated)
• Human or animal remains (inc. ashes, body parts and placentas)
• Indecent goods
• Magnets or magnetic material (inc. fridge magnets and compasses)

Restricted items can only be posted if you meet the necessary requirements for that item.

For example, if you would like to send less than 5 litres of alcohol (under 70% alc/vol) you can do so if you package it correctly and it’s sent using the courier and signature service.

Restrictions largely depend on:

• Value of item
• Packaging of item
• Service used

There is an exhaustive list to give you the guidance you need when posting restricted items. You can find it here.