NEW WESTPORT POST OFFICE

Taranaki Daily News, 18 June 1932, Page 5

NEW WESTPORT POST OFFICE

OPENING BY MR. H. E. HOLLAND.

TRIBUTE TO SIR JOSEPH WARD.

By Telegraph.—Press Association.

Westport, Last Night,

The new post oflice at Westport was formally opened to-day by Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, in the presence of a large assemblage. The building replaces the one destroyed by the earthquake three years ago to-day. In a review of post and telegraph activities, Mr. Holland referred to Sir Joseph Ward as probably the greatest of New Zealand’s Postmasters-Geueral. Having become Postmaster-General in December, 1899, Sir Joseph established the penny postage for the Dominion in January, 1901. He had then carried his scheme for universal penny postage to the Postal Union Congress at Rome, but without immediate success. The penny postage was abandoned here in the war years, but was re-established in 1923. It was again abandoned recently, but the experiment was found to be a losing proposition and a return had once again been made to penny postage. Speeches were made by the Mayor (Mr. J. H. Harkness), the Hon. W. H. Mclntyre, Mr. J. Niven (county council chairman), Mr. J. H. Enwright (chairman of the Buller Progress League) and Mr. D. Bryan (chairman of the "Westport Chamber of Commerce). Reference was made to the regrettable inability of a Minister of the Crown to attend. Mr. Holland was presented by the contractor (Mr. G. 11. Bull, Christchurch) with an inscribed key made of Buller gold to open the building.