TUATAPERE

Southland Times, Issue 19822, 19 March 1926, Page 8

TUATAPERE

NEW POST OFFICE OFFICIAL OPENING . CEREMONY SIR JAMES PARR OFFICIATES. An event of outstanding importance in the life of Tuatapere took place yesterday, when the new post office building which has been in the course of construction during the last three or four months, was opened by Sir James Parr in his capacity as Postmaster General. The Minister, who was accompanied by Mr Adam Hamilton, M.P. for Wallace, and Mr Johnston, Chief Postmaster in Southland, was greeted by a large gathering of townspeople and school children when he arrived at the beflagged township about mid-day and favoured with perfect weather conditions, the ceremony which followed was one which should live long in the memory of those who participated. THE NEW BUILDING. The new building is of wood, and is a combined office and postmaster’s residence. The official portion consists of a mail room 26ft x 17ft; a public space 22 Ht x 104 ft; a postmaster’s room 12ft x 12ft; a telephone exchange 15ft x 12ft; a letter-box lobby 14ft x sft; a strong-room 7ft x 6ft, and an entrance lobby lift x 7ft. The private portion consists of three bedrooms, 14ft x 12ft, 14ft x lift, and 12ft x Oft respectively; a living-room 16ft x 13ft; a kitchen 13ft x 12ft, and a scullery 74ft x 7ft. Wiring for electric light has been provided throughout the building. The contractor for the building was Mr G. W. Allot, of Gore, and the contract price was £2,550. THE CEREMONY. Mr G. E. Charlton presided and in formally welcoming Sir James Parr and Mr Adam Hamilton, voiced appreciation of the fact that the former had relinquished pressing duties in Wellington to visit Tuatapere. Proceeding, he spoke of the importance a post office was to a community and offered the information that the new building was on the same site as the original post offiee over 16 years ago. For a long period, he stated, temporary premises had been requisitioned as a post office, but now that the Department had seen fit to provide an up-to-date and commodious building, he was certain that it would never have reason to regret its action. Mr Charlton explained that the new building was somewhat unique in that the authority of £2OOO granted for its erection was the highest vote made in respect to new post offices in the particular year in which it was authorised. Concluding, he extended hearty good wishes to the Minister, and hopgd that he would enjoy his visit to the district. (Applause.) The Rev. Waddell, chairman of the local school committee, welcomed Sir James on behalf of that body, its staff and the pupils of the school. The day, he stated, ideal for the occasion and it was a true indication of the bright nature of the whole district which the post office would serve. “I am quite sure,” concluded Mr Waddell, “that in time to come the school committee will be making demands on the Minister’s Department to keep schooling facilities abreast with the advancement of the district as is indicated by the new post office.” Mr R. Scott extended a hearty welcome to Sir James on behalf of the Tuatapere branch of the Farmers’ Union. As a representative of the settlers of Pukemaori, Mr E. Sim added his welcome to the visitor. “When I came to the district 12 years ago,” he said, “Tuatapere was noted for its sawmills, its hotels and its mosquitoes. To-day it is noted for its successful sawmillers and farmers and its general prosperity. I sincerely congratulate the district on securing such an excellent building and on the prosperity which it spells.” Mr Peter Hamilton, of Tuatapere, also gave a cordial greeting to the Minister. SIR JAMES PARR’S ADDRESS. “It is a long way from Wellington to Tuatapere,” remarked Sir James Parr in opening his address, “and I confess that a week ago I did not dream that I would be here to-day. As I say, the journey is long and I have been particularly busy of late in view of my impending departure for England. However, your membe* Mr Hamilton, would not dream of my not coming and so here I am. I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the drive out from Invercargill. I have never seen finer country than the grazing lands we traversed between Orepuki and Tuatapere and I defy any man to show me anything to better it. And what I like about it most of all is its cheapness, for similar land in the North Island would bring twice as much as the value I am told is placed on this. I want to congratulate you all on getting this fine post office and I would also like to- congratulate the contractor, Mr G. W. Allot, of Gore, on the splendid building he has given you. I can further add that the progress of the district generally has quite justified the expenditure on it.” Proceeding, Sir James gave an outline of the history of postal activities in Tuatapere, saying that these were of particular interest in that they involved the history of the whole district. A telephone exchange, he said, was opened at Tuatapere on September 24, 1903. The first telephonist was Mr Charles F. Sneyd; and the business was conducted in a small store on the west side of the Waiau river. The office was. converted into a post and telephone office on January 1, 1904. Mr Sneyd’s successors have been H. H. Fleming, R. H. Williams, N. J. Ward, J. P. Simon, Miss F. Gardner, L C. Collett, A. J. Brown, C. W. Edwards, A. McClure, W. J. Pratt (present postmaster). In addition to the postmaster, the staff now consists of a cadet, an exchange-clerk, and a messageboy. A postal branch was .opened on .January 16, 1906, and a money-order office and savings bank branch were opened on March 16, 1910. A telephone exchange was established on February 19, 1910, with four subscribers. The number of subscribers was now over 80. On November 15, 1915, the office was made permanent, Mr Collett being the first permanent postmaster. As an indication of how the business of the Post and Telegraph Department had increased at Tuatapere, the Minister said that in 1915 the number of letters, postcards and other articles posted was 37,050. In 1925 the number was 91,450. In 1915 the number of letters, postcards and other articles delivered was 47,670; and in 1925 129,880. In 1915 the postage revenue was £172 and in 1925 £440. In 1915 668 money-orders were issued of a value of £2,748, and in 1925 1,151 of a value of £6,472. In 1915 95 money-orders were paid of a value of £583 and in 1925 163 of a value of £1136. In 1915 170 savingsbank deposits were made amounting to 2570 and in 1925 731 amounting to £12,139. There could be no better evidence of the community’s well-being than this. In 1915 2010 telegrams were forwarded of a value of £62 and in 1925 3349 of a value of £l4B. In 1915 1634 telegrams were received for delivery to residents, and in 1925 2887. In 1915 1478 transmit telegrams and telephone toll messages were received from other offices for onward transmissions, and in 1925 8909. In 1915 1032 telephone toll messages were received for residents and in 1925 5934. In 1915 2034 telephone toll messages were forwarded of a value of £55, and in 1925 6924 of a value of £342. Although parties of gold diggers moved westward along the beaches from Orepuki to the mouth of the Waiau river in the early ’sixties, proceeded Sir James, the pioneer settlers did not penetrate the vast area of densely covered bush country until some years later. The trend of settlement was towards the mouth of the Waiau, thence on both sides of the river -it approached towards the ferry, where the town of Tuatapere now stands. One of the first settiec to

was Mr Hugh Erskine, who in' June, 1886, brought his wife and little' son to their new abode, on the west side of the mouth of the Waiau. Their nearest neighbour at that time was Mr J. P. Young, who lived at Waihoaka. There were still a few miners on the beaches near by. It was in August, 1894, that the then Minister of Lands (Hon. John McKenzie) in order to find work for the unemployed and. to encourage settlement in the backblocks, formed a State settlement on the west side of the lower reaches of the Waiau river. Over 20 men responded to the call and took up residence in the bush on 100.-acre blocks in the locality adjacent to the present school at The first post office in this locality was placed in charge of Mr Thomas Bain (one of the settlers), and the postal business was conducted in his canvas-covered slab hut, about three miles from the Papatotara Ferry, more commonly known as Drummond’s Ferry. Reverting to historical facts, Sir James remarked that the first small store used as an office was burned down and it was rather a coincidence that the new post office building stood on the exact spot previously occupied by the original office. A new store was erected by Mr Sneyd, and a small building was sledged from Orepuki along a very muddy track through the bush, and placed in a position adjoining the store. The mails were carried from Orepuki to Tuatapere on horseback, by Mr Herbert Popham. As the roads were improved a coach was used for the conveyance of mails and passengers. A Mr William Alexander also acted as contractor for a short period. “I am sincerely glad,” he proceeded, “to be present to open the new building. It is a good thing for a Cabinet Minister to go about the country to hear and see what the people want and if possible to grant their requests. At all times, however, the purse of the country has to be considered, and I think I can say that on the whole the various services of the country are given efficiently and conveniently.” Dealing with education matters, the speaker expressed his pleasure at seeing the children assembled to greet him and spoke of his six years’ endeavour to obtain for them the best educational facilities the country could give. Ability was the only qualification a pupil needed now to enable him to gain the best education, provided that always he was willing to work. 11l would be the day, said Sir James, when they ceased to take pride in their work. He rejoiced that in New Zealand they had a splendid body of teachers devoting their time and energy to the training of the young, and spoke of his extreme regret that he had to relinquish a work in that connection in which he was greatly interested. In again congratulating the district on securing the new post office, he mentioned that he would leave New Zealand next month, but would carry away with him pleasant memories of his visit to Tuatapere. “I wish you well,” he concluded, “and your children also.” (Applause.) Sir James then formally declared the post office opened. , ADDITIONAL SPEECHES Mr Adam Hamilton then briefly addressed the assemblage, remarking that the new post office was a step in the progress of the town which was of interest to all sections of the community. He referred appreciatively to Mr J. C. Thomson’s efforts in the direction of securing the vote for the work, and after thanking Sir James for his attendance at the ceremony wished him every success in the new position to which he had been appointed and congratulated him on his selection as High Commissioner for the Dominion. Mr Johnston (Chief Postmaster) also spoke, after which Sir James formally unlocked the door of the new building.

The chairman thanked the Minister for agreeing to perform the ceremony,. and, following the singing of the National Anthem, the office was thrown open for inspection by the public.