MOTUEKA POST OFFICE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 24 October 1940, Page 7

MOTUEKA POST OFFICE

! DEPUTATION URGES ERECTION OF BUILDING MINISTER'S REPLY A deputation, consisting of the Deputy-Mavor, Mr S. E. Hulbert, Councillors S. B. Canavan and T. Ilickmott, representing the Borough, and Messrs A. L Vickcrman and C. W. Thorp, on behalf of the business community, waited on the Minister of Education in respect to the urgent need for the erection of a new post office to replace the one destroyed by fire two years ago. The Hon Mr Mason was asked to place the matter before his colleagues, the Postmaster-General, and the Minister of Public Works, and to request them to deal with the matter as one or urgent necessity. The Town Clerk, Mr A. L. Kirk, presented a statement from the Mayor, which read as follows: "It is now over two years since our local Post Office was destroyed by fire, but as yet it has not been rebuilt. “We were first promised that as soon as the Public Works could prepare the plans the work would be proceeded with. A definite promise was then made that tenders would be called in March which was later extended to May. In June we were told that tenders would be called within four months, but as yet this last promise has no* been fulfilled. The people of Motueka have been patient and long-suf-fering; but I consider that after such protracted delays they are entitled to a definite statement by the Government “The present building was never intended for a Post Office and is most unsuitable, both from the point of view of the public and the staff. It is a major fire risk, being constructed of wood and iron, having no strongroom and being situated in close proximity to a wooden hotel. A serious loss would result if it should be destroyed by fire. “There are no private letter boxes and considerable delay and inconvenience is caused to business people, as the incoming afternoon mails are not delivered till the following morning. ‘The exchange is housed in a small shed measuring seven feet six inches by eight feet and the conditions they work under are appalling. The exchange is open continuously and has between six and seven hundred subscribers, necessitating a constant staff of two, increased to three during the peak hours; for them to work under such cramped conditions must be injurious to health “While we realise the Government’s difficulties in these dark days of war. owing to lack of necessary materials I do ask that you place our case before your colleagues, the Postmaster-Gen-eral and the Minister of Public Works and request them to deal with the matter as one of urgent necessity.” The Deputy-Maj'or emphasised the points set out in the statement. Mr C. W. Thorp, speaking for the business community, welcomed the Hon. Mr Mason as Attorney-General and congratulated him on the progressive policy he had adopted in amending the statutes—a job which had been shelved for many years. In regard to the Post Office. Mr Thorp pointed out the serious inconvenience to the business community through lack of an adequate building, with special emphasis on the absence of private letter boxes which resulted in considerable delays in the delivery of mails. He concluded by expressing the opinion that, if the Postmaster-General dea’t with urgent matters in his department in the same way as the At-torney-General did Motueka would not be long in having a new Post Office. The Minister in reply stated that he would place before his colleagues the representations made to him and would ask them to give the matter their urgent consideration. He understood that the plans and specifications were in the process of being drawn up. but undoubtedly they had been delayed by pressure of war work.