Minister Denies Promise re Thames P.O.

Thames Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 17929, 3 July 1930, Page 5

Minister Denies Promise re Thames P.O.

Country Residents Penalised for Test at Auckland

IHAMES POST OFFICE.

MINISTER DENIES PROMISE.

( To Build This Year.

JIESSAGE FROM MR. SAMUEL.

*ION. UONALD'S THAMES VISIT.

The following telegram ! was received tio-day from Mr A. M. .Samuel, the member for Thames: — "In the' House yesterday the Post-.master-General, the Hon. J. .B. Donald, denied having stated that the "Thames Post Office would be cbmanenced after the financial year just > tended."

The Hon. J. B. Donald made a visit to Thames last year on -June 5. This was in reply to the mrgent requests made by: the Cham-/ ier of Commerce about a new post

office for Thames; the old building, .besides being inconvenient was so .iar from the business centre of the iown as to cause great inconvenience and loss of time. '•'■"

The Minister inspected the site in

JPollen Street, and with him were Mayor, Mr W. Bongard ? the president of the Chamber of Commerce, 3)r J. B.Liggins, the secretary, and ••■.a "Thames Star?' reporter. The following is an extract of the that appeared in the "Thames on June 6, 1929: ,'/... > "The Hon. Minister thanked : the JMayor and Dr Liggins for their kindJy welcome, and assured them he ,' was pleased to be and was seorry he could not spare more time .in the town. He had made it his business to find out- the. • position, he could quite understand they were not happy in : their present position as regards their post office. The suggestions they made were to. a' point, but it would ) #ake money to build; and the De- . partment had to look to its finance. , JHe agreed Thames was entitled to -a new post officer-there could be mo argument about-- without making any definite: promise, aiothing would give him greater pleasure than to give a new office. It -would take, him a year to clean up . Lliis Department, and if the commitments had not gone too far he MMlId -try and get the post office started injuring the next financial year. He jhad not interfered in the list that ■', -the last Govrenment had .-over, and Thames was about, halfway down the list of new buildings. IHe did not know how much it would 'cost. It was safe to say that it -would not be long before they, got itheir new office, but he would not smake any definite promise at the as with all the work in "iand he would need all the money ivoted to finish it. They would get -?ery favourable consideration. The present Government was a business "Government, and he was out after business and keep, the Post Office

JDepartment payable, and to see the -ipublie got service the best it could •give. There were able officers in -the Department embued with tfce idea -to give efficient service, and a. loyal •staff to do their best for the public jHe has received very few. complaints since he had been in office., Mr "Black, their chief postmaster, was efficient and would do the best lie could in public service. "Concluding, the Minister said he would do the best for them that he -«ould.

"The Mayor thanked the Minister ■ior his reply, which would meet with general approval. It was satisfactory that they could hope that next •year wouy see the foundation-stone laid."

Seen this afternoon, Mr Bongard ;said Mr Donald had said to him that the Government was out to help the business men, and definitely stated in the next financial year an amount would be placed on the Estimates the new post office. The money 'would be available in the year, ; i Dr Liggins said that the Minister had stated he would not give promise for that year, but early ran the next financial year the build'jing would be started. Not only that, 'but in conversation afterwards with Dr Liggins .the Hon. J. B. Donald stated that if he was still Postmas-■ter-General he would be very pleased "to come and lay the foundation--stone of the new building. ', The following is an extract from •ihe minutes of a meeting of the Thames Chamber of Commerce, held .-subsequent to the Minister's visit,

and is the impression formed of the interview by the secretary, Mr J. Kernick: — ; - ; ' ;

"In reply, the Minister stated that steps in connection with the erection of a new building would be put in hand during the next financial year." In the face of these facts, it is hard to see why the Minister denies that he promised Thames a new post office this year.