THE NEW POST OFFICE.

Patea Mail, Volume XLVI, 12 October 1923, Page 2

THE NEW POST OFFICE.

OPENING CEREMONY.

MARRED BY RAIN

Tho Minister, who was accompanied by Mosers J. 11. Corrigan and 0. J. Hawkcn, ALP. L, Air if. W. McV'illy (General Manager of Railways), and Mr A. T. Markinan (Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department), arrived in Patoa shortly after 2.30 p.nv. by special train. The Afinisterial party was met at the station by his "Worship the Mayor and the Alayorcss (Airs Koltham), the Town Clerk (Air N. C. Harding), and Air A. T. Christenson (chairman of the Harbour Board). Tho parly drove to the Post Office, where a large crowd was awaiting the Alinistcr.

On arrival, his Worship, in a briof speech, expressed the pleasure it gave him, on behalf of the townspeople, to welcome tho Alinistcr to tho district. Tho day was a rcJ-lcttcr one for Patea. They had bogged and begged for tho Post Ofiice till the war came, and then tho people of Patea showed their loyalty, as they had in other respects, by waiting patiently until the war was over. (Applause.) It had remained for Air Coates to be the Alinistcr who had granted their request. (Applause.) He was a straightforward and honest politician who had come along - and had seen the job and tho necessity for it. They now had a building worthy of tho town and worthy of the patience the people had shown. Patoa, fifty years ago, had been the second largest town in Taranaki with a District Court, Land Office, etc., but other towns had beaten it in the march of progress. However, they now had a Post Office that would last them for some years to come, and one that they could bo proud of. He would not detain them, but would ask Air Coates to declare the building open. (Applause.)

Mr Coates said he would declare the building open and say a few words after the others had spoken. Mr J. R. Corrigan, M.P., said it gave him great pleasure to bo present that day. He could assure them that the Minister, in his travels, would sec that the town of Patca had only got what it required when he saw the fertile district around it. Ho had not been long in Parliament, but while he had been there he had found Mr Coates a man worthy in every way of the position ho held. Mr Coates was one who placed country before party every time, and that was something to be proud of. (Applause.) They had with them that i ay Mr Hutton, who had been the first Postmaster in Patea, some 53 years ago, and he would say a few words to them, (Applause.) The contractor, Mr Bignell, had done his work well. The building would be a lasting monument to him as long as it stood, which ho thought would be for all time. (Applause.)

Mr Hutton said there were more people standing before them then than there had been in all Patea when ho first took up his residence there. It was in March, 1870, when the town was really an armed camp, garrisoned by armed constabulary and a number of the Ngatinaporou tribe. They were woke up each day by the reveille and went to bed at the sound of the '‘Last Post. ’' The climate of Patea had braced him up, and he was glad to have been spared to come along and congratulate them on tho new era in the progress of the town. The first Post Office, he might toll them, was in part of a tailor's shop near where the present building stood. He managed singlehanded for a year, after which he had one assistant, finally leaving in 1876. Ho was extremely pleased to have had tho honour and the pleasure of wishing them all progress and prosperity in the future. (Applause.) Tho Hon. J. G. Coates, who was received with cheers, said he had to thank them for the warm welcome they had given him and the speakers for the very nice things they said of him, but he asked them not to believe a word of it. (Laughter.) All the interest he had in the building was to see that the expenditure was justified by tho results. It was results that counted with the Department more than anything. It had been said that they were wrong in spending £7500 on a Post Office when so many “cockics" wanted roads, but the officials could no longer economically carry out their work under tho existing conditions. “1 expect I make a holy mess of half the stuff 1 touch,'' whimsically added the Minister, “but a man can only do his best." Continuing, he said the Post and Telegraph officials were entitled to the thanks of the public for the loyalty they had displayed. They had done magnificent work, and had enabled the Government to effect economics, not the least of

The weather was anything but propitious for the opening ceremony in connection with tne new Post Office, which was performed by the Hon. J. G. Ooates, PostmasterGeneral and Minister of Public “Works and Railways, yesterday afternoon. The day, which had opened threateningly. turned out quite fine later, but broke' again at 3 o’clock, when the opening ceremony was commenced, causing the Hon. the Minister to curtail his, speech considerably. The final stages of the ceremony were carried out in pouring rain, rendering things anything but pleasant for all. The building was declared open for the public about 3.30 p.m., when the Postmaster, Mr G. Ormsby, and his assistants, who had transferred the books and documents to the new office with commendable promptitude, were ready to tranMvx business from that time onwards.

which was the reversion to the penny postage. (Applause.) He was more than pleased to see so many Natives present. It was largely clue to their staunchness and courage and their extraordinary knowledge of tactics that' made them so formidable in battle, as was shown in the lato war. There was ono gentleman they must not forget, and ho was quite sure Mr Corrigan was too good a sport to mind if he mentioned him, and that was Mr Dixon, their lato member. It was largely through his persistency that the Post (Mice was built. He was very glad to have him present that day to see the result of his efforts. (Applause.) After all, the erection of public buildings was not a matter of politics, as they had to build when necessity drove them. They were proud to have with them Mr J. A. Hutton, the Jlrst postmaster, who came to Patea 53 years ago. They had also Mr Markmau (Secretary to the Department), to whom they would have to look for the development of the Post and Telegraph services in the future.. He would not detain them any longer in the rain, but thanked them for coming out to meet him. Ho hoped the day would not be far distant when they would require a larger building. He did not expect he would be there, as a politician was usually turned out after a few years’ service. However, he hoped someone else wmuld come along and open the larger building. (Applause.) Mr A. C. Bigncll, the contractor for the building, then handed Mr Coates a handsome gold key, suitably inscribed, and the Minister thou entered the building, with the aid of the key, and declared it open for public business, amid cheers.

After the building had been inspected, the Minister and party wore entertained at afternoon tea at the Borough Council Chambers, the Minister subsequently receiving various deputations.