POST OFFICE LIGHTING.

Waipa Post, Volume XX, Issue 1241, 11 May 1922, Page 4

POST OFFICE LIGHTING.

PETITION OE PROTEST PROPOSED CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ACTS. The faulty lighting of the Te Awamutu post office, which has caused so much annoyance during recent months, again called forth a protest from the Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday evening. Several speakers commented on what they regarded as “disgraceful conditions obtaining.” Experiences, however, differed, and there seemed to have been occasions when the lights were brilliant enough. On the other hand there were those who humorously described the efforts of the counter clerks when scrambling candle in hand—to deal with the business.

There was unanimous protest voiced. Mr Clark said that people had no right to be subjected to a condition which required them to write confidential telegrams within full gaze of everybody at the public counter. Mr Spear argued that the department would spend more money tinkering with an obsolete plant than a decent installation would cost. Mr Downes contended that when people paid telephone fees for an all-night service the department was in duty bound to provide dependable lighting instead of leaving the exchange in darkness with all the consequent delays in answering subscriber’s calls. Finally it was proposed by Mr Clark, and seconded by Mr Taylor, that a petition be prepared and circulated protesting against the lighting conditions, and calling on the department to instal electric lighting without delay. Messrs Spear and Hopper offered to take charge of the petition. This course of action was unanimously decided on. The secretary suggested that as so small an expenditure was involved a public petition should not be necessary. He asked leave to telegraph the department advising the position before matters drifted further on, and this was agreed to. DEPARTMENTAL INQUIRY PROMISED. Replying this morning to representations made by Te Awamutu Chamber of Commerce, the first assistantsecretary of the Postal Department states that th* Department is obtaining an estimate of the cost of installing electric light in Te Awamutu post office.