POST & TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1163, 15 June 1894, Page 21

POST & TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT.

SOCIAL AND LITERARY CLUB. The General Post Office was the scene of a most enjoyable gathering on Saturday evening last, when officers of the local Post and Telegraph and Telephone Departments with their friends attended to the number of about two hundred to celebrate the formal opening by the Post-master-General (the Hon J. G. Ward) of the Post and Telegraph Officers' Social and Literary Club. The commodious " long room" in the accountants' branch upstairs had been set apart and tastefully decorated for the occasion. Among those present were the Hon tho Premier and Mrs Seddon. Mr W Gray, secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department, presided, and opened the proceedings shortly after 8 o'clock in a few well-chosen introductory remarks, in the course of which he complimented tho officers of the departments upon tho success that had attended their efforts in the formation of the Club. He prophesied that it would be productive of much good in the service, and ho promised that it would always have his cordial support, lie was sure everyono present was wry pleased to seo Mr Ward thore, and regretted the absence of Mrs Ward. He hoped that Mr Ward would bo able to assist the Club in another direction by contributing towards tho library for scientific purposes and for experiments. Money spent in promoting the higher attainments of the officers would bo not only to tho advantage of tho department itself but to tho country. Ho then requested Mr Ward to formally open the Club. The Hon Mr Ward, who was very cordially received, expressed Ins pleasure at being present at what he termed a most memorable occasion. It was memorable in the sense that they were present to celebrate the opening of an important institution in connection with their departments. He thanked Mr Gray for the kind remarks he had made with reference to his (Mr Ward's) presence there that ovening, but he could assure them that he felt it a greater honour to have been asked to perform that important function than they could feel it to have him among them. ("No, no/') He could assure them that "mrs Ward would have been delighted to have attended with him. He had noted Mr Gray's remarks in reference to the desirability of seeking pecuniary aid with a view to providing the Club with works that would encourage the officers of the department to acquire scientific knowledge; and he assured thorn that ho would render them what assistance ho

could in that direction. Ho felt that the

promotion of scientific knowledge in the service would bo one of the greatest aids

to the advancement of the service generally, and its good results would go further,

for in benefiting the officers of tho department it must also benefit the public. (Applause.) Tho advantages of the attainment of scientific knowledgo being, therefore, mutual, there was sufficiently good reason why pecuniary aid should be sought, as Mr Gray, who, as they all knew, had the interest of tho Post and Telegraph Service at heart, had already suggested. It might bo interesting if ho were now to refer briefly to tho history of the Social and Literary Club. It was not a long history, but it was a very satisfactory one. (Hear, hear.) When those concerned in the inauguration of the Club looked back to its inception they could not but feel proud of tho results which had attended their efforts. It was in the Accountants' Branch, in 1890, that tho idea of a Club was first mooted, but nothing definite was done until 1891, when tho first formal meeting of officers for tho formation of the Club was held. At that meeting they established what was callod " The General Post Office Magazine 011113," and 22 members wore at once enrolled, and a number of books and periodicals were provided forthwith. At tho end of the first year the committee reported receipts to the amount of .£7 10s and the addition of nine new members. It was about that time that the Club received a most remarkable contribution, viz., a free gift of Hansard and other Parliamentary papers. (Laughter.) They laughed, but ho could assure them there was a very serious aspect to that circumstance, for since then the whole of tho members had shown a most decided antipathy to political matters. (Renewed laughter.) Tho next tiling they heard of was an effort to secure rooms sufficiently commodious for

| tho purposes of the Club, but in this they ; were not successful until an appeal was I made for tho first timo to Mr Gray, who j at once expressed himself favourable to tho Club, and promised his assistance provided the officers of other branches of the service were admitted as members —an excellent proviso by tho way. That was the turning point in the Club's history. Tho membership then numbered 32 and tho financial results would have made a Colonial Treasurer positively delighted, for the receipts had almost doubled, having then risen to <£l3 lis Bd—(laughter)—while the library was fairly well stocked, and to show tho wisdom of Mr Gray's proviso a number of officers in other branches of the servico had then decided to avail themselves of the advantages of the Club. Having traced tho successive stops that led up to the formation of the Club on its present basis, Mr Ward said tho history of their Club was an excellent illustration of tho truthfulness of tho maxim that great things had small beginnings. In conclusion, the hon. gentleman congratulated those who had been concerned in tho inauguration of tho Club upon tho success that had crowned their efforts, and referred with approval to tho suggestion of a writer in their own excellent departmental journal signing himself " Bohemian," that a literary club should be established for tho purpose of bringing officers into closer contact the one with tho other. On his own part he would ever be willing to do all in his power to further tho interests of tho institution, which, ho was sure, had a career of usefulness before it. (Applause.) It was, therefore, a great pleasure to him to formally declaro the Post and Telegraph Officers' Social and Literary Club open. (Applause.) He knew that he was but expressing the sentiments of a large portion of the public when he wished that Club every success, and looked forward to the establishment of similar institutions in the other largo centres of the Colony. Their advantages, which were undoubted, could then be shared by no inconsiderable portion of the community, for tho Post and Telegraph Department now numbered no less than 1340 officers. He most cordially wished tho Club every possible success. (Loud applause.) A programme of recitations and instrumental and vocal selections having been given, Mr Gray said that, before an adjournment was made for supper, the Premier (the Hon Mr Soddon) had kindly consented to say a few words. The Premier, who on rising was received with applause, said that it afforded him very great pleasure indeed to be enabled to say a few words to them. On an occasion such as that, however, it was a I difficult matter for one to make a selection

of subjects upon which to speak. He would first of all like to say that ho was proud of tho Postal ami Telegraph Service. He would say also, although he did not like to flatter them, that, when he saw the young ladies of tho department present, he was very pleased with the selection of his colleague, the Postmaster - General. (Laughter.) It was gratifying to him to find that the ladies and the gentlemen of that department agreed so well together j and he could foresee what meetings such as that might lead to, and he could tell them what they should lead to. (Laughter.) Ho was glad to find such good feeling existing between tho officers generally and those holding the higher positions in the service. It was very necessary that that should be so, otherwise the work could not go on satisfactorily. Having himself every confidence in the political head of the department (his colleague, the Hon. Mr Ward), he hoped that they too had every confidence in him. (Applause.) It was the duty of the Government to see that those who were in the service, and who were performing their duty faithfully, should have the protection and support of the Government. Ho had told them that he was particularly proud of tho Post and Telegraph Department of New Zealand, and had every confidence in it. Its officers knew Cabinet secrets, and what was going on from one end of tho Colony to the other, yet, with all that knowledge, and in spite of the fact that ladies were now in tho service, confidence, ho was pleased # to.say, was not bc-

trayed. It had always been urged that of all tho services in a country the one in which a lady should not be trusted was tho Post and Telegraph. He could, however, say of the ladies of New Zealand, of those at any rate in tho Government service, that they had shown themselves equal to tho lords of creation, and knew how to keep a secret. (Applause.) He was very pleased to see them all enjoying themselves so well. That was as it should be; tho Colony did not wish that they should have all work and no play, and that they should not have an interchange of society and enjoy themselves as rational beings. Ho had his own time for relaxation, and even tho Postmaster-General had his also. The Club's way of enjoying themselves was a credit to them, and to the service they belonged to, and he could assure them that if he should happen to be in Wellington when their next " social" was held ho would have very great pleasure in attending it. (Applause.) Cheers having beon given for the Hon Mr Seddon and the Hon Mr Ward, the company adjourned to the supper room, whore a liberal supply of good things had been provided by tho Committee. After supper, dancing was indulged in until midnight, when the company dispersed, well pleased with the evening's entertainment. Thanks are specially due to Mr Gray, Secretary of the Department to Mr Houlihan, the energetic lion, secretary of the Post and Telegraph Officers' Social and Literary Club, and to the Committee for the excellent arrangement which led to the success of tho gathering. Tho following ladies and gentlemen contributed items to tho programme:—Mrs Perrin, two songs Misses Cenci, pianoforte duet; Miss Brock, a song ; Mr F. V. Waters, two songs; Mr R. E. Green, comic recitation ; Mr R. E. Hayes, comic song; Mr F. W. Faber, autoharp solo ; Mr T. G. Nicholas, comic song; Messrs Perrin, Morsehead, Senn, Lindsay, Chegwidden, Waters, Plimmer, Levers, Tait and Oliver, part songs ; and selections by Mr Forrest's string band, tho playing of which was greatly admired. Miss Kelly, of tho Telephono Department, acted very efficiently as accompanist. Tho piano was kindly lent by tho Dresden Company.