Inside the Post Office

Evening Star, Issue 22626, 19 April 1937, Page 13

Inside the Post Office

Splendid Concentration of Facilities Tour of Inspection The privilege o! making a complete inspection of the interior of the new Post Office is required before one can realise the'vast work that is undertaken by, the ! Post and ’ Telegraph Department and the large variety of-apparatus and t- ... ingenious devices that accelerate ..the accomplishment of its daily task. It should be-of more than passing interest to know what a tour of inspection with the Postmaster-General (the Hon. F. Jones) revealed to a * Star ’ representative on Saturday morning. Now that" the various branches'have completely settled down, in their new quarters, it is possible to give some more intimate details concerning the department’s operations, and it was with’ this idea in view that the Minister consented f *: to a tour of inspectionsuch as could be' granted only to a privileged few. "

MINISTERIAL SUITE Although it iswell known that the Post and 'Telegraph services occupy four floors, including the basement, of the building, it was only natural that the Minister should turn to the Ministerial suite on the first floor as the first point of interest. These quarters, which were previously situated in the Public Trust Building, are now most complete. Leading ofl the main room are to be found a; private sitting room, a secretarial and typists’ room, and a board room, while opposite, on the other side of the corridor, are the waiting room and a further typists’ room. ' All of these rooms are exquisitely furnished. The bureaux and wardrobes are made from a New Zealand timber and polished to a rosewood • finish, while chairs are upholstered in leather. The most .modern of carpets completely cover the floors and rich, colourful curtains adorn the windows. In the main room of the suite, pictures symbolical of the Maori race enhance the decorative effect, whilst pictures of New Zealand scenery form an' attractive feature, in some of the other rooms. Whilst on the subject of furnishings; it might also be mentioned that all rooms occupied by the chief executive officers of the department are appointed on the same' lavish scale. VA L U .DC tfiyft NTS. ' Turning now ■ to 'the , postal services, some of the most illuminating -information was ; revealed in-the' basement,particularly in the storing rooms, :which are constructed in such a manner as to defy the most scientific safe-breaker. The exterior walls; are built of concrete of sufficient thickness to deter any burglar, but then this -forms - only one' of the many precautions which have .been taken. A' network- of reinforced steel is embedded in the concrete to a design which- makes entry other than by . legitimate means utterly _ impossible. Even the safe doors are as impregnable as modern science can possibly make them, one being at least lOin thick. Altogether there are fopr strong rooms ; m which are Loused-all the-Bar-ings bank records, cash books, supplies of stamps and postal. notes, money orders, and many .1. other ' numbered forms used in the department. In addition to being fitted with suitable steel lockers and shelving, each • bank teller has a key to , a locker in which he can deposit his cash, 'thus providing him with a further safeguard. From an attendant in charge of the postsirsupplies it was learned that thevalue of the bulk supply of postal notes held for the requirements of Dunedin and sub-offices amounted to £14,000, ‘ that the supplies of postage stamps - and- stationery ready for. posting were valued at • £35,000, and Post Office investment certificates at £IO,OOO. Amongst many valuable papers lodged in these strong ' rooms are the safe deposit packets which are accepted from the public arid ‘ / placed in envelopes, which are specially sealed-,, and which can be opened only upon the production of the necessary documents and in the presence of a-re-sponsible postal officer and the depositor. ' PARCELS AND STORES. In the; basement also is ample accommodation for the parcels branch. Here ; it was .noticed that hampers containing i parcels, both inward and outward, required very little handling, the loading dock platform facing Bond street being on the same level as' the floor of the motor van chassis! An, office for the parcels post Customs officers is also stationed near the public space in this branch, while in the corner of the basement facing Prince's 'street; has been found an ideal site for stationery and General stores to serve the whole of he’ Otago postal district. HANDLING OF MAILSReturning to the loading dock, where all mails are dealt with, one is struck ; by the efficiency of the facilities pro- , vided. , AD matter for the mail room , on the ground floor is conveyed there by an escalator, mails for despatch being sent down a specially-constructed stainless steel chute. In the nlail room sorting can be car- ■ tied out under pleasant conditions ■ throughout the day and without resource to artificial lighting of anv kind marked contrast to tne_ conditions • in. the Dowling street building. The heavy rush experienced on opening day

also revealed the fact that accommodation inthe mail room was sufficient to cope :;with;. ;a\ considerable increase of ibusiness; ”-'Stamp' post-marking bjy hand hrisnow been entirely eliminated in the case of all letter correspondence, two machines for this purpose being capable of stamping 400 to 450 letters a minute, as well as l recording the number being put through. Attached to the mail room is the foreign room, where all correspondence addressed to places outside New Zealand is sorted. FUTURE EXPANSION. In respect to the public counters in -the main office there is plenty of space for the public to meet requirements for a considerable time to come, while the conditions and space provided for, the officers behind the counters are all that could be desired. Excellent working conditions also prevail in the money order and savings' bant branch. Separate entry has been provided for the transaction of purely savings bank business, and here again the provisions in that branch will permit of considerable expansion:. In the registration branch on the same, floor strong room accommodation and specially-oon-strucied steel lockers are installed. As is the case on each floor of the building provision has also been made for staff retiring and cloak rooms for the various branches. POSTMEN’S BRANCH. On the first floor is the postmen’s branch, where correspondence for delivery is brought up from the mail room'by a goods lift specially installed for the purpose. In this branch there ar© rows upon rows of pigeon holes classified in such a manner that a section is provided for every postman in the Dunedin district. Specially constructed steel lockers for postmen’s uniforms and satchels are provided, and each officer is supplied with a key. Delivery of correspondence to the business areas and resident portions of the city and suburbs is performed by 52 postmen, each of whom is allotted a particular section for the sorting of his mail. CLERICAL STAFF. On the other side of the building, facing Water street, is the Chief Postmaster’s clerical staff, which deals with all matters relating to telephones, complaints, and the clerical work of the stores branch. TELEGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT, The very latest of equipment for the handling of telegraphic communications has been, installed in the telegraph branch, situated on ■ the second floor facing Princes street. Here the multiplex, printing system is to be seen in operation, together - with three sets of teleprinter circuits, provision being made for the installation of two further sets to meet future requirements. Pour arms annexed to the multiplex system provide direct communicatiou with the four main centres. Two of them link up with Wellington and-Auckland, the third to Wellington transmits to Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin simultaneously, this machine being used specially for' newspaper work; arid the fourth transmits to Christchurch. Each of these arms is worked under duplex conditions, and they have a speed capacity of 42 words a minute, which actually means that when all arms are working at full pressure there is a soeed rate, of 336 words a minute. When long messages are required to be transmitted to several stations it is possible to use the tape in the original transmission and utilise it again l for other stations. The toll branch works at a speed of 66 words a iriinute, and under duplex conditions at double the rate. The Morse system, which is used for all country _ stations joined up with the system, is concentrated in the hands of six operators, thus eliminating all unnecessary handling. In the bureau room full provision is made for the rapid transmission of telegrams to 62 suburban stations and small offices. Reception of telegrams from telephone subscribers is also made here, and jt is interesting to note that the increase of business received in. this manner, has been phenomenal. As has previously been mentioned, the ! ipost modern tube despatch system serves as the connecting link between the telegraph counter in'the public space and the despatch branch for delivery by telegraph messengers, who, are, housed on the Liverpool street side of the building^ Adjoining the operating room is the mechanics’ workshop, where all repairs to telegraph instruments are executed. On the same floor there is the power and batter}- room, the floor of which has been constructed' of lead owing to the injurious effects that the acids would have on any other material. The walls have also been painted with antisulphuric paint for the same reason. Thri apparatus installed automatically charges the battery system. 4 The examination staff,, telephone engineers, engineers’ mechanical staff are also housed in adjacent rooms. A well-equipped technical library for the use of officers concerned with engineering has also been provided in a room adjacent to the telegraph executive quarters.

SOCIAL AMENITIES. On the third floor of the building on which there is ample space reserved for the future-expansion,.of the services, social- amenities' are provided for the officers and staff in” the form of a billiards’ room, -containing Uvo tables, a cafeteria,, and, a library. All of the equipment, with the exception of the furniture,, 1 for • these i services was purchased by the departmental social club, a loan, made available by the department to cover the initial expenses, being repayable by the club, on a fixed instalment basis. . In connection with the cafeteria, m the kitchen of-which-has .been installed all of the most, up-to-date equipment capable of cooking a three-course dinner,, it was pointed out,that it was for the use of the departmental officers and staff only. Morning and afternoon tea are provided for the female officers only, an interval of 10 minutes being granted them for the purpose. Officers who are employed on “ straight ” duties for a period extending over four hours, are the only male members who are permitted to enter the refreshment rooms at. any time other than during the luncheota hour. It has been further, stipulated by the department that the minimum charge must be made for all meals supplied. STAFF OF 347 EMPLOYED. . Some, idea of the. magnitude of .the services conducted by the Post and Telegraph Department in Dunedin can. be gained from the fact that 347 people are employed to cope with the work. This total includes provision for a relief, staff for annual leave purposes, and engineers’ clerical staff and mechanics numbering 50 housed in the building. The line construction staff is, of course, housed at Anderson’s Bay, where the Public Service garage, controlled by the department, is also situated, together with departmental workshops for the repair of equipment, motor vehicles, and even typewriters.