POSTAL FACILITIES IN AUCKLAND.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 65, 10 December 1907, Page 3

POSTAL FACILITIES IN AUCKLAND.

REUNION OF LETTER-CARRIRUS. PROGRESS OF THE DISTRICT. (DY TBLEGEAPII— SPECIAL COItIIESPONUENT.) Auckland, December 9. freaking on Saturday night at the annual loiir'on of Auckland letter-carriers, Mr. A. P. Dryden, Assistant-Postmaster, remarked that no Government or Parliament had done so much for the Post and Telegraph Department as the present one. (Applause.). Recently their departments had heen placed in a better position by the Superannuation and other Acts passed hy the present Parliament. Statements had beon made that the sorvice was being starved, but his experience was all to the contrary, and he had never had any difficulty in securing additions to the staff. Sis years ago the employees of the Auckland Post Oilice totalled 87, all told; to-day they totalled 165. Six years ago tlie letter-carriers totalled 28; to-day they numbered 54. During recent years many under 21 who had been letter-carriers in the larger cities had been transferred to the clerical branch, and men, principally married men, appointed, it being recognised that it was work for men. The whole of tho public service recently had been treated with oxtrome consideration, and they-ought, for a considerable number of years, at any rate, to bo content and settle down to work. ■ In proposing the toast of the " Post and Telegraph Department," Mr. Poole, M.P., referred to the improvement in the mail services. Ho believed that in New Zealand they had n system second to none in the world. Thej r had succeeded in getting a settlement of the new Post Office site. (Hear, hear.) For a very long time past the men of the department had been asked to do the work in almost. unbearable quarters in Auckland. He had lrnen through the subterranean passages — (laughter) — and through the various recesses where tho men had heen asked to work. Ho had seen worse, but lie was convinced that to got the best work from the men it was necessary to give them the best appliances and tho best environment, and so tho dead end of the railway station was to be occupied by a palatial structure. One of his strongest reasons for supporting the construction of the new Post Office upon that site was that it would provide plouty of good light and air and room. Mr. F. D. Holdsworth, Chief Postmaster at Auckland, referred to tho progress tho city was making in every way in postal matters. Since January 1 last they had opened (S8 new offices in the Auckland district. That, he felt satisfied, was a. record for any postal district in the Dominion. In tho city the progress was most marked. Recontly the Department had purchased numerous sites for postal offices in the many growing districts to cope with tlie Increaseof work, and it was intended to fill those sites with up-to-date post offices." Tho Mayor (Mr. A: M. Myers) expressed the opinion that the' sito of the new Post Office was an ideal one from a departmental point of view. He was approached for a sito where the Victoria Arcade stood, and also another site, Jjiit as Mayor ho believed it would be a mistake for the city to part with any of its endowments. They were only in the beginning of their prosperity. During tho next decado this portion of the Dominion would be a good deal more prosporotis than any other portion. He hoped ill fit in tho near future they would have an esplnnade right round the city, and also a greater Auckland. (Hear, hear.) He. Imped, too, that they would soon hnve a garden city. They possessed the area for expansion in such a direction.