KIMBOLTON MAIL WITHDRAWN.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2449, 14 August 1924, Page 2

KIMBOLTON MAIL WITHDRAWN.

FORTT-TEM-OLD SERVICE. ABANDONED 'WITHOUT ■WARNING. SETTLERS UP IN ARMS Scanning (lie list of mail contracts for which tenders arc now being called the residents of Klmho; ton and district were astoni shed to discover (hat the Postal Department, without any previous warning had dropped their most useful dally service—the morning mail from Feilding to Kimbolton and hack. The service which has been running for close oil *lO years, Is not only more useful than the afternoon mail which continues on to Aplti, but is the key to the Rangiwahia and V.’ailnna services. If it is discontinued these two important deliveries will both bo badly affected and wll either Ik; discontinued or run at a much greater cost to the Department. Yesterday a largely attended meeting tit Khnholton entered an ..emphatic protest against the withdrawal of the service. A strongly worded telegram was authorised to bo stent to the Post-master-General and member to be followed if necessary by a representative depu tat ion.

About forty settlers gathered at the Kiwltea County Council Chambers at Khnbolton. Mr E. C. Haythorne was voted to the chair, and said the matter was of great importance to the district. The Post Office authorities were proposing to do away with the midday service, which was of the greatest value and importance to the district. It was used extensively by all the settlers on the road between Kimbolton .and Feilding, and was the connecting I nk with the Rangiwahia district also. Why it had been cut out, nobody know'. Mr Haythorne said that to his knowledge the service had, been running for 35 years, and probably longer. It was up to those present to kick — and kick hard —against anything of the sort being done. The chairman pa’d a tribute to the splendid motor ’bus service which had been built up with the aid of the mail contracts. It carried the people in comfort and was handled by an obliging and efficient contractor who gave every satisfaction. Every person between Kimbolton and Feilding would feel the loss of the service. Bad Cor Ranglwahin. Mr Hansen pointed out that it would be a more serious matter for RangiW'ahia because the people there wmuld not be able to have a service which would connect with the mail trains on the same day. The Rangiwahia contractor had informed him that if his connection with Feilding was broken by the proposed withdrawal lie would be compelled to abandon his contract as half his patronage would be gone. This would be disastrous to Rangiwahia because not only mails were carried, but passengers, parcels, bread and meat, to say nothing of school children. The same applied in a measure to Waituna. The present contractor was only able to carry on the latter service because it dovetailed into the threatened Kimbolton delivery. His ’bus left WaHuna for Feilding early in the morning, then picked up the Main Trunk mails for Kimbolton, loft Kimbolton again about midday for Feilding, and returned to Waituna in the afternoon. “Cut the Kimbolton contract out,” said Mr Hausen, “and cither the cost of the Waituna and Rangiwahia services will be greatly increased or they will be abandoned.” The Protest. After a brief discussion the following resolution moved by Mr Kidd and seconded by Mr Ross, was carried unanimously;— “That tilts meeting comprising representatives of the Kimbolton, Kiwltea and Pcep-o’-Day districts emphatically protest against the action of the Postal Department in the proposal to discontinue the morning mail service between Feilding and Kimbolton, and that a copy of (his resolution be telegraphed to the member for the district and the Postmaster-Gen-eral.”

The meeting decided, on the motion of Mr Parsons, seconded by Mr Bartlett, to appoint a deputation to wait on the Postmaster-General and the member for the district in the event of an unfavourable reply being received to the telegram, the deputation to consist of Messrs. Haythorne, Kidd and ,1. Watt (Peop-o’-Day). with representatives from Rangiwahia, Kiwitea and Cheltenham. A deputation consisting of Messrs. Hansen, Haythorne, Richard Richardson, Ross and Parsons was also appointed to wait on the postal inspector who is visiting Kimbolton to-day. Mr W. L. HesselUne was unanimously appointed hon, secretary to the movement. The meeting pledged itself to provide the necessary funds to carry on the fight. A vote of thanks to the chair terminated the meeting.