Paper calls time on rite of passage

Many youngsters get a start in work by delivering papers, but that era is coming to an end. JOSH REICH reports.

At only 14 years of age, Sam Lovell knows all about redundancy. For more than two years, the Nayland college student has delivered The Nelson Mail in Stoke and Nelson.

Originally delivering papers to the Washington Rd and Port Hills area, he later shifted to Songer St, then Monaco as different runs came available.

To most people, the wage of $4 a day, and double on Friday, might not seem much, but for spending less than an hour a day in the fresh air, it's been Sam's perfect job.

A fan of the technical side of music, he's dropped plenty of his pay on equipment, and is also trying to raise nearly $900 to attend the Venture Wellington gathering for venturer scouts at the start of next year.

However, when the news broke that the Mail was to stop using delivery boys and girls in favour of adult contractors, it left Sam, just into his teenage years, with the prospect of being turfed out of his first job.

In fact, he is one of the lucky ones, as a contractor has been given permission to re-hire him and his sister Kate for some runs in Stoke.

But most of the 150-odd runner kids between Nelson and Richmond have not been so lucky, with those in Stoke finishing this weekend and in Richmond the next.

Skyrockets and bullrush are just a couple of the things that have been banned on the grounds of health and safety, and many would feel New Zealand is poorer because of it.

You can add kids delivering papers to that list. For decades, youngsters have been said to learn responsibility and time management by delivering The Nelson Mail.

However, with increased hazards such as busier roads, the paper's general manager, Craig Dennis, says the company can no longer justify putting youngsters at risk.

While incidents are few and far between, there have been cuts, bruises and broken wrists, and earlier this year a runner was knocked off his bike after being blindsided by a car.

"I think this case, where a motorist came up beside a kid doing absolutely everything right, [the motorist] didn't see them, cut across into the verge and actually shunted [the runner] into a ditch, was the one where we thought this is time to seriously look at this whole issue," Mr Dennis says.

The paper reached the conclusion it would be safer to replace 150 or so runners with 30 adult contractors. Some contractors have been given permission to re-hire kids, but the majority are out of a job.

Young runners remain in many rural areas, such as Tapawera, Motueka and Takaka, although for how long is yet to be determined.

"It's not on the radar right now, but it's something the company will want to have a look at at some stage," Mr Dennis says.

Contractors have already been operating in Atawhai and Brightwater and Mr Dennis says delivery time, one of the other reasons for change, has been significantly brought forward.

Another reason for changing to adults was an inability to get schoolchildren to take on runs in some areas, such as the Atawhai hills and Victory.

Mr Dennis says the switch is not about saving money – hiring adults will cost more – and was a Nelson Mail decision, not dictated by the paper's parent company, Fairfax. He is insistent that the overwhelming reason is for the safety of those out on the road.

He admits that finding a balance between safety and nannying is a challenge but taking kids off the street is one area that can be controlled.

Sam, a fairly straight-up sort of kid, is yet to be convinced. "I haven't heard of anyone being attacked or killed or raped doing their paper run."

For many paper deliverers, their main contact at The Nelson Mail has been George McKenzie. Approaching 50 years' service at the Mail, he has spent a good percentage of that time in the circulation department and has seen many runners come and go.

Having seen many changes in the paper industry, he reluctantly agrees the loss of papers kids will be just another one. "It's just a fact. We've had runner boys from the year dot. Ninety-five per cent of kids are bloody brilliant. Most go the extra mile, although you always had a lot of scallywags," he chuckles.

He says parental support is the number one factor when assessing what made a good deliverer.

"Even the best of kids needs to be jollied along at times."

He can think of half-a-dozen runners he has had to dismiss – "my guts churn up doing that" – but it was the phone calls to those being awarded runner of the month awards that were one of the highlights of the job.

"I think a lot of the kids don't know how well they are thought of."

Walking with Sam on his route through Monaco, it's clear how well thought of he is by the 50-odd subscribers on Point Rd, Martin St, Rainier St and Grace St.

Ted Calder has been getting The Nelson Mail since about 1960 and has nothing but admiration for the runners who deliver, rain, hail or shine. He's annoyed by the Mail's decision to switch to adult deliverers.

"I think these lads do a damn good job. Everyone I know is upset, because we feel the lads prove themselves.

"They do that in all weather – it breeds good men out of good boys."

Not that Sam needs to worry about the weather on the day I join him on his run. It's warm, and with the sea gently lapping at the foreshore, there are probably few better places to be.

"It's always lovely out here, even when it's pouring with rain," he says.

As of Monday, he'll be delivering papers in Stoke, and he knows he is one of the lucky ones to keep their job.

"When I heard the news we were possibly being put out of a job, I thought it wasn't the best. What people think – it's a load of rot with a load of wimpy excuses about why we are getting fired."

Mr Dennis says letting the runners go has not been easy and accepts the paper has copped criticism for it.

He also says some parents have approved, citing their own fears of their children getting hit by a vehicle.

"Equally, we've had some kids and their parents who have responded quite strongly to the proposal because almost, in their view, it's been a rite of passage that their family has been involved in for a long time, that this is their child's first opportunity for a paid job ... and therefore comes with responsibility."

A former paperboy himself, he admits he is sympathetic . "But, equally, we've got to balance that up against those other factors."

- © Fairfax NZ News