THE NEW POST OFFICE.

Evening Star, Issue 20823, 19 June 1931, Page 6

THE NEW POST OFFICE.

Much satisfaction will he felt at the announcement that Cabinet has now authorised the calling of tenders for the erection of Dunedin’s new Post Office building, and that this work may be expected now t» go forward without any avoidable delays. The announcement now made was expected to long ago as to suggest that the Minister for Public Works (Hon. Air Taverner) has not had an easy task in persuading the Cabinet as a whole to its present decision. If pleas were made for delay they would not bo surprising, in view of the depression from which the whole dominion has been suffering and the strain placed on loan moneys as well as on other public funds. On the other hand, the Government itself stands to save money as soon as departments, which are scattered now all over the city, can bo accommodated in one building, and the progress of this .work will afford a welcome relief from depression to a great number of workers whom it will employ. The building trade lias been slack for a long time past, and any activity caused in that trade leads to activity in so many directions as to be particularly helpful at the present time. If the 10 per cent, cut in wages has been anything of an influence in overcoming the Government’s reluctance to proceed with this work, the cut will have had one good effect. The promise of a new Post Office is one of so many years’ standing, and Dunedin’s claim to it has been so strongly made, that it is impossible to think that, apart from the special 1 circumstances which the Minister recounts, it would have been delayed so long. Mr Taverner certainly has done his best in the cause, and his efforts for it must be very generally appreciated.