IMPROVED STATUS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 135, 5 December 1944, Page 6

IMPROVED STATUS

MASTERTON POST OFFICE

With ,the object of. improving the system ■of postal district control, it had been decided to constitute Masterton a chief post office to control the Wairarapa area, said the PostmasterGeneral (Mr. Webb) today, When the change was made, the main Wairarapa area, comprising that portion of the existing Wellington district lying to the east of the Tararua and Rimutaka Ranges as far north as Eketahuna and Alfredton, would be under the direct control of a chief postmaster stationed at Masterton.

The improved status' of the 'Masterton Post Office would not directly affect the general public :to any great extent, said the Minister, the chief benefit in that direction being that all Post Office Savings 'Bank accounts open at non-ledger offices in the area concerned would be domiciled at Masterton instead of Wellington. From the departmental viewpoint, however, the resultant closer contact and supervision of postal matters in the district would undoubtedly facilitate^ and improve general administration and control. It was hoped to give effect to the change early in the New Year. The Minister mentioned that, in. pursuance of the policy of decentralisation, it had been decided some time ago to constitute Whangarei a chief office to control the northern portion of the. large Auckland postal district. The actual setting-up of the new Whangarei district, however,, had been unavoidably delayed on account of accommodation difficulties, but every effort was being made to overcome those difficulties in the near future.