Post Office Termed Worst In N.Z.

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31770, 29 August 1968, Page 12

Post Office Termed Worst In N.Z.

The Chief Post Office was a disgrace and a firehazard amounting to a death-trap, said Cr O. C. Mitchell, of the Waimairi County Council, yesterday.

Cr Mitchell was speaking at a meeting convened by the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce with business organisations . and local bodies to discuss new postal facilities.

He said that those attending should do everything in their power to push for a new post office. The senior vice-president of the Canterbury Manufactur- ' ers’ Association (Mr J. D.! i Bull) said that the postal [; situation in Christchurch was I I appalling. “The Chief Postmaster (Mr 1 M. E. Wilson) should be embarrassed at having the worst I office in New Zealand and i congratulated on the wonder- i ful way in which he handles i the problem,” said Mr Bull, i Mr Bull said that if private 1 industry provided the same | conditions as those in the i 1 post office in the Square, he 11

doubted if factory inspectors would approve the use of the building. The meeting adopted a resolution that the PostmasterGeneral (Mr Scott) be asked to visit Christchurch to meet a deputation from combined business organisations, local bodies and local members of Parliament. Cr G. D. Hattaway. of the Christchurch City Council, said that working in the strongroom, as was being done at the Post Office, would not be tolerated in most countries. One the one hand Christchurch was building a fine civic centre and on the other

it was allowing people to work in “this dungeon of a place." The chairman of the meeting, Mr E. J. Parry, who is the president of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, said those present must consider themselves an action committee The chairman of the chamber’s postal committee (Mr J. Stewart) said that representations would be made to the Minister for a new chief post office and for a new postal centre.

The Regional Engineer of the Post Office (Mr H. W. Wilkinson said that before a new Chief Post Office could be built it was essential that the existing building be demolished. The toll exchange would have to be shifted and it would have to be duplicated to enable it to be shifted. “On that I can confidently say that 1973 is not a practicable date for completion,” he said. I think 1973 would probably be nearer the date we might be starting.” Mr Wilkinson said that negotiations for resiting his line depot were reasonably satisfactory and he could see no reason why work should not be ready to start on that site.

Mr J. M. Hargreaves, of the Chamber of Commerce, asked why planning for the postal centre was apparently not going ahead. Was it because money was not available? Mr Wilkinson said he was aware of activity on sketch plans and he could allay fears that no planning was being done. Architectural briefs were being prepared for the Ministry of Works. Mr Wilson said that he had seen some tentative plans.