THE GROWTH OF HASTINGS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 420, 1 February 1909, Page 4

THE GROWTH OF HASTINGS.

« SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER. 'j When lajing the foundation stone of the Hastings Post Office on Wednesday Jaet, Sir Joseph Ward made an interesting roforence to tho historj and piogress of the town and district Hastings, said Sir Joseph, TV as named by the late Mr Thomas 'fancied, aftei Waneix Hastings,, the celebrated Governor-Geneial of India The town ■was constituted a Borough in 1886, its population at the time being 1504 The popula-i tion was now about 5000 The water supply of tho to#ntfor">ifiro prevention and do~ i mestic purposes "was ■"obtained froni artesian v wells. T>£ BbroUgli''Oouncil controlled the- - public librarj aridreading-rooni, iftid two rev* creation grounds. The Hcretaunga Cooperative Dairy Company and the< Frimley Fruit Canning Faetorj emplojed large numbers of bands. .IriU9o7*-tbe number of ihg^vyas ; ; of : .rateable 1 :years.ago:a mail,service;Uwi<se-\veekl/'Ui''ffe^'' ! '' - quencyVwas and ■ ' Hastings. At that time-the : ' Napier to .the distrjpts; and .thenc^.{.,to: ; .:.:■:■ : Wellington.crossed."thei.Her.etaunga Plaijis ; onr_ • .:. the extreme.:edgej'passing:thrqugh^tho-,t^ri- r ;:.: > .. ship of Havelock North.".When commMca- .•;■ ; '■ tipn/was-established : by railway,,a; point 'pfc.i. -.. :■ the line; was; necessary foria.station.vand a Vv . '-.;. ;battle of sitess began, ; «IJltimately,-the.offer.;;;; . of Mr. , Hicks-to grant.four acres for Goy-r'■; eminent; buildings,' including a railway :sta-- ; ..: tionj'; accepted;. r -;''-The. first post■ office at '. 'Hastings; was ppened : on ■December. 1, ■"1875,; ; ■; under the :charge"of tho statipnmaster,;.the, /: V. late■Mγ. D/ A.'AVright.' : lt jeinairied : in;the:: .'..... ' ; when^owjng;^:. ;.-. y the removal of the,'railway station, ifc'was de-' > ■pided to place it;in a separate.building., The■..■ .'[ ''p&co was- : cpnducted-:in3>temporary.; premises ".': until-Jauuaryi, JB96i.wlien the present of-,, .■.-' fipeg. were cpmpleted.;;\Qwing to the limited '■>'■ .' Bccpnimo'dation-.in-th.e-present'main premises,;; - ; , ! it hnsj.been" necessary to ■rent rooms forV;:a , ;..,' tempprary:telephone ekchange; in; Railway, ':: .Street In' August; 1896, the.:, telephone-hes-;. ■■-. ; change iwas opened,'and on April i,%1907, ; an;." . ■all-night; telephone- exchange;■';,• seryice-^t^e. .■..,•• first" iii. .the 'Dominion;;, outside , of, the ■'•four.■ ■. •"", large. granted. In 1889,: when; ... ■ present postmaster, Mr. S.. F. Haszard, , arrived : iii- Hastings to take.up the.'position.:;, \ '. '..■■'. of clerk: iandtelegraphißt, l "the ..numberV.pf .;':/; ■officers' Tv;as postmaster, a cadet'/;_:a '^■■ ■; ... ■letter-earner; -and n,'-telegraph, messagerboy.. ' The number;was now.fortyrfour. ,, '-'.''■'/.'•,'^-;.;: : . . . '' The' , new post ;bfßco is.to. be _.completed/on ''■ .■■'.'•';"• July. 23.;".. It-is to- be a:'iiwii-sforied-'-bnck • ■■■.':.. : building; with frontages to Railway .Street- •:,' and' Queen Street. The plan^..sljow. i a tower--; on the .corner, end;'of tho "building"at thej'V : street intersection, at,tlie:lower. ; portipnyof '<■'■ \ which ;is ? the. entrance'-porch.to; the public' V ' office .which gives access to, the uppeivflwr/;; A-,.... . separate porch in Queen Street-; giyes; access v ,to : the: posting and, private -boxes;, ■'•The-iac- :"• ;.;' commodation on thegrpund floor, of ihciiain. i building in feet is.as;-follows office-.. .; .'•■ and.inoney ordot,office,-45 x;-25;". pdstnias- - ter!s ■rbp'm, 14 x:.12.; .strong room,; 7« 5;,9";.. .: : ; telephone pureau, 13 ,x 6; telegraph ! meßsenj v,;; , -.;, gers , , room,-; 16 s 13; engine room'forMbat-v : ;■•! tery work, 25:x'13. ; "The dipper floor !coni-"'iv', prises:; .Instrument f00m,' : 22. s-27; .-ST\-itch v ;-.; ? ; .room,-,4l'x 16j distribution- room',' , .4r ; xf9|;' ; :,:, stprerobm,' 25 x ,12; ; lavatories;-' ladies' ■■room; I ''-.; and.other conveniences.-'-"A■cart'';entrarice' :v forj*:.; : ,; mails Md : access to outbuildings is: provided.: ; '-;-. : in;-Queen Streetj '.'The':outbuildings include ~f-. :.'i: accominodatipn :■ ■ for ■.;:'. linemen's ~; batter.ies."J.:.; ';; stores,' etc'." Pro vision, has been'madeMn'.tha.J:. . tower-for a' cjock .. , which- ; wfll be ; Sboye.the 'streets 'The'*v '-;;..: tower is to be : finished with a dome and. flag- n ; , staff, , the.height-"of' : the'tbp^of^the ; former";'■'■ :; from : thev,str^e,t jeyel'beipg7d:feet;;Theroofr;-;, ; ;" ; of'-the; building ..'are to. be: covered jwith.-'Mafi i .-.: - seil]es : ;tiles:-i The':• :cqntrac.tor;-:"is;,"Mfi>^iJ.JV-... ,>.- Reripuf,:^.Napier, 'and the ,amount-or-.his-;-.-. tender was £5125. ,;The 'Government--'his iin-'>t;; :'■:, dertaken to subsidise £'for £ any-fund raised-- ; ■,;; by-;the citizens of."Hastings'.jtowards;,the';'costi.-:. of .a chiming clock:!'or the new building; ;'•; ' v .r : ;-'7; ■