POST OFFICE AT HALCOMBE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3123, 28 January 1914, Page 3

POST OFFICE AT HALCOMBE.

OPENED BY HON. MR RHODES. (Fbom Ouh Own Correspondent.)

HALCOMBE, January 20.

The new post and telegraph office at Halcombe was opened to-day by the Hon. R. H. Rhodes, Postmaster-general. The Minister referred to the early history of Halcombe, and pointed out that many years ago a company named the Emigration and Colonists’ Corporation was formed in England. The Earl of Denbigh, the Duke of Manchester, and other well-known men were members. The corporation purchased from the New Zealand Government a block of 106,000 acres of land situated between the Manawatu and Rangitikei Rivers. This was named the Manchester block, and was used for the settling of emigrants. The sites of the present townships of Halcombe, Feilding, and Ashhurst were included in the block. The township of Halcombe was named after Mr A. Follett Halcombe, nephew of Sir William Fox. Mr Halcombe was Provincial Secretary and Treasurer for the Wellington province from 1864 to 1870, and afterwards held office under the general Government as immigration officer. In 1871 he relinquished this position, and was appointed attorney and agent for the corporation referred to, and on him devolved the responsibility for the carrying out of the work of settling the larger tract of country belonging to the corporation. He retired from the position in 1381 It was not many years since the surrounding district was covered with heavy bush. The timber industry was active and the population greater than at present. As the bush disappeared, farming, both dairying and cropping, became the principal industry of the district. In referring to some advances made during his term of office, the Minister mentioned that only recently he had arranged for telegrams to be sent over telephone subscribers’ wires, the rates on parcel post had been reduced by 25 per cent., rural mail deliveries had been initiated and were to be still further extended, postmen were in future to carry stamps and postal notes, week-end cablegrams could now be sent at the rate of Id per word, only a month or so ago he had reduced wireless charges from lOd to sd, the charges for boxes outside the delivery had been reduced from £1 to 10s, the savings bank depositors knew the interest on the savings of depositors an to £3OO had been increased from JU to 3§ per cent. He could assure those present that while the Reform party was in power the postal and telegraph business of the country would receive every consideration and attention. There would be no standing still or going backwards. If what Mr Russell had said was true that the savings bunk business was an indication of the confidence reposed in the Government, then the country had every confidence in the Government, for both the June and September quarter showed a big increase of deposits over 'withdrawals. It was bis ambition to see that the Postal and Telegraph Department was progressive and well organised.