RURAL MAIL EXTENSION

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22344, 7 March 1938, Page 14

RURAL MAIL EXTENSION

PROPOSAL TOO COSTLY DEVIATION NEAR METHVEN Because of the excessive cost and the interference with the time-table of the Ashburton-Methven rural mail service, it has not been possible for me JPost and Telegraph Department to extend that service for the b ® ne f“ of farmers who are situated between the north branch of the Ashburton j-iver and Methven, and who have no j-ural mail delivery. „ ~ The Postmaster-General (the Hon. 8. Jones) has written to Mr H. E. Herring. M.P.. saying that the question of meeting the wishes of the settlers for the extension of the service had been investigated fully. An extension of the Ashburton-Methven delivery would entail traversing the proposed route with a heavy omnibus and inquiries showed ithat little cr no other business would be available to the contractor. The cost jof providing the extension was unduly Shigh, and was considerably in excess .■of any postal revenue which the department would derive. Apart from the cost factor, continued jthe Minister, it would not be possible itfor the Ashburton-Methven mailman to connect with the south express if the extension was made, and as the service was primarily one for the conveyance of passengers, it was desirable •that such an important connexion should not be disturbed. As an alternative to carrying out the suggested extension, inquiries had been made about the work being done as a separate service from Methven. *Only one offer was received for the work, and the cost was too high. “I very much regret that it has not been <ound possible to meet the wishes of the settlers concerned,” concluded Mr Jones. HOUSING LOAN FOR METHVEN LABOUR PARTY’S PROPOSAL A request that it apply to the Minister for Finance (the Hon. ,W. Nash) for a loan to build a block of houses under the Local Bodies’ Housing scheme will be made to the Mount Hutt Road Board by the Methven branch of the Labour Party. A deputation was appointed to wait on the board at its next meeting. Mr R. W. Wightman presided. Mr Wightman was appointed delegate of the branch to the Labour Party Conference, to be held at Easter. The secretary was instructed to write to the Workers’ Educational Association with a view to obtaining parcels of books for the use of members; ELECTRICITY SUPPLY FOR TE PIRITA SUGGESTION OF MINISTER FOR PUBLIC WORKS The supply of electricity to many farmers in the Te Pirita district has been taken up by R'r H. E. Herring, M.P., with the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple), who has suggested that all the applicants should petition direct to the Malvern Electric Power Board for costs and conditions of supply. He said that if no satisfaction was obtained he would be pleased to look further into the matter. Mr Semple continued that the matter was complicated, as Te Pirita was in the outer area of the Malvern Power Board. Malvern was one of the few power boards in New Zealand Which was striking a land rate over its inner area, and as the outer area was not rated, and loans could not be expended on lines in outer areas, the present obstacles could be appreciated. He understood that the residents of Te Pirita had not approached the Malvern Power Board on the Question and as that was the usual procedure, he suggested that application be made direct to the board. METHVEN MOTHERS’ UNION The annual meeting of the Methven branch of the Mothers’ Union was held recently, when the Rev. H. S. Hamilton presided. The annual report stated that 12 meetings were held during the year. The annual festival was held in September. Contributions were made to the fund for the memorial doors for the Cathedral and for the Mothers’ Union workers in Melanesia. The branch had been linked with the St. Michael’s branch of the Mothers’ Union In Torquay, Exeter, England. The balance-sheet showed a very •atlsfactory position. The election of officers resulted as follows:—Enrolling member, Mrs K. Dickie; vice-president, Mrs Amberger; jhonorary secretary and treasurer, Mrs D. Chambers: magazine secretary, Mrs Graham; afternoon tea convener, Mrs H. Richards; sewing committee, Mesdames Duff, Burrows. K. Aitken, and J. Watson; committee. Mesdames D. M. Watson, W. ,E. Hampton, Bland T. Cleeve, Mangin, Fitzgibbon, and Graham. It was decided to hold the annual festival in September. The following motion was carried: "That the Methven branch of the Mothers’ Union is of the opinion that much of the cheap periodical and other literature exposed for sale is calculated to produce harmful moral effects particularly among young people. PLUNKET SOCIETY ASHBURTON BRANCH MEETS A resolution of sympathy with the relatives of Sir Truby King was passed at the monthly meeting of the Ashburton branch of the Plunket Society cn Friday afternoon. The president (Mrs F. W. Seldon) presided. The resignation of Mrs G. J. Cameron, owing to her removal from the district, was accepted with regret. The reports of the nurses said there had been i>6 visits to homes, and 530 visits to the rooms in the borough during last month, and 75 visits to homes and 226 visits to rooms in the county. The offer of the Ashburton Harmonica Band to give a concert for the society’s funds was accepted with thanks. An invitation was received from the Eiffelton branch to send representatives to the Mothers’ Day effort on March 19. ASHBURTON PERSONAL NOTES Mr G. Kelly, clerk of the Ashburton County Council, is on annual leave. Mr J. R. Richardson, Ashburton borough inspector, will attend the third annual conference of the New Zealand branch of the Royal Sanitary Institute at Dunedin this week. His duties as inspector of health will be carried out by Mr E. N. Johnson, Ashburton county inspector.