POSTAL SERVICE: Institution at Grey.

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 February 1928, Page 36 (Supplement)

POSTAL SERVICE: Institution at Grey.

ONE of the most important services to the community is that provided by the Post and Telegraph Department, and the Post Office at Greymouth has been an institution of importance since the early days.

On August 1, ISG4, the Greymouth Post Office was established. The official records do not give the name of the first Postmaster, but it is understood that Mr. Reuben Waite filled the position in 1866. In January of that year, the chief clerk of the Post Office was a departmental officer, Mr. J. F. Barke. On July 24, 1867, Mr. J. F. McBeth was appointed Postmaster. Other holders of the position in the early days included Messrs J. Shrimpton (1878), L. Von Rotter (1880), H. Calders (1885), C. J. Berry (1893), G. W. Sampson (1903). In 1865, the Post Office building occupied a site at the corner of Werita Street and Mawhera Quay. The hospital building, at the corner of Hospital (now Guinness) Street and Tainui Street, was subsequently converted into a Post Office.

Mail communication in 1865 was by a branch service once per week on horseback to and from Hokitika, in connection with a service that had been started between Christchurch and Hokitika. In tiie following year, the service was for the first time performed by coach, and the frequency increased to twice weekly, as a cost of .£336 per annum.

The letter carrier’s delivery was inaugurated in 1567, Mr. ■ Richard

Heaphy being appointed letter carrier on August 1 of that year. The money order office and savings

bank were opened about April, 1867, £7916; withdrawals 110, value £2131. Greymouth was created a chief post office about 1868. A year later mail the business for the first year being:— Money orders issued 948, value £5090;

money orders paid 142, value £731; savings bank deposits 463, value, communication northwards was inaugurated by a service between Greymouth and Napoleon Hill. In 1870 . the postal service was further increased by the establishment of a monthly coastal service between Nelson and Hokitika, via Westport and Greymouth, at a cost of £650 per year, in connection with the San Francisco service, which had just been established. Telegraphic communication was brought into operation in the district in the ’sixties by a line erected by the Canterbury Provincial Government between Christchurch, Hokitika and Greymouth, and taken over by the General Government on January 1, 1868. It is described in the departmental reports as branching from the southern trunk lines at the Selwyn railway station, whence it proceeded by way of the KoWai and the West Coast Road to Arthur’s Pass and Hokitika, and then continued to Greymouth. In the purchase of the line, its value was determined by arbitration. The receipt's from the line were stated to be larger in proportion to the expenditure than ffoin any oQier lipe in the Colony, and its purchgs.e a' very profitable transaction for the' General Government.' '

About this time, a continuation of the line was being ereptep at the instance of the Prpvipcial GQYPVPjpent of Nelson, which gugrgplped six' P er cent, on the total cqs.t pf construction, as well as any deficiency Plight

thereafter exist between the receipts from the line and the totpl cost of working .and maintaining it. Tpe telegraph Report for the year 1888 relates that, “owing to the peculiar pud difficult character of the poultry through which this line has |o b'e copied—over a considerable portion of which only a bridle track exist’s-L-apd to the excessive outlay Svhicp wqpld have beep involved in thp of totara poles, it has been deemed expedient to make use bftpe W|t of the timber through which the lipe passes. The clearing Qf the apd the supply pf pqles is being perfPHped hy contract.” The erection was Effected by day labour under the supervision of-Mr. Alexander Aitken. On its completion, stations were opened at Brighton, Charleston, apd Weatport. Its cost was £70.Q3, being at the high rate of £lO4/10/8 per mile . The number of telegrams forwarded from Greymouth during (he first half year of 1868 was 1858, representing a revenue of £33?. The telephone exchange was established on September* 20, 1888. The present Post Office vyas officially opened on May 6, 1908, by Sir Joseph Ward, then Prime Minister. The contract for its erection was let to Messrs Drake and Muir for £5,6.70, but additions made to the tower, and other alterations, represented an additional cqst of £776. Owing to the contractors being unable to carry out the work, the completion of the building was undertaken by the Public Works Department.-. '