TAUPIRI'S POSTAL GROWTH

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14712, 29 July 1921, Page 6

TAUPIRI'S POSTAL GROWTH

I NEW OFFICE OPENED POSTMASTER-GENERAL OFFICIATES NEEDS OF BACKBLOCK3. Taupiri's new post office, which has been in use now for about a month, was officially opened yesterday afternoon by the Postmaster-General, Hon. J. G. Coates, in the presence of a large assembly of the public. Mr 11. Waring welcomed ihe Minister in a few brief remarks, during which he referred to Mr Coates' great i war record and his popularity with the men of the Expeditionary Force who were fortunate enough to be under him. lie was glad to see such a man occupying Ministerial rank and, on behalf of Ihe local residents, warmly welcomed him 1.0 Taupiri. Mr R. F. Bollard, member Tor the district, also added his welcome an 1 spoke of Mr Coates as one. of the moi.t energetic and able men of Ihe Ministry. lie was a man who was sparing in promises, but when he made one he could always be relied upon to keep it. (Applause.) Confidence in the Future. Mr Coates said that so far as anything he did overseas was concerned there was nothing to commend it whatever. Anything that was done there was by the New Zealand Division, and nol by single members of it. The country was passing through rather strenuous limes, but. that was no rc.ison why they should throw up Hie sponge. He for one had every coniidence in ihe future. The returned soldier had many friends in the Government, but the men must make Ihe best of the situation as he found it.

The speaker congratulated Ihc district upon its splendid post office, an I said I tie place and Hie member must be very progressive Lo induce Ihe Qovernment at the prcscul juncture lo give a sum of money lo put up Hie office. For the time being it was his policy, and Ihc policy of the Department, ..) j put up only those buildings and do only j Other piritlic works that were absolutely ! necessary. lie wanted lo see good \ buildings in every pari of the country. ! To-day, however, there wore many ur-j gent works, the most urgent of which perhaps were roads to the backblocks, the filling in of essential gaps in rail-j ways and the development of electric ! power, and if they could manage to j carry on ami do the most important of: these, he would ask the people of the country lo defer other works until- the, time was more favourable. lie wanted | to assist the settlers in the out-districts i as much as possible, by giving them some of the social conveniences of up- I tr-datc life. It was true that during the past two years over 10.500 tele- ' phone connections had been marie, j which was a record for any similar: period in the history of the country, j The difficulty was to get the material,] and as it was necessary lo keep down i capital cost, only the most, urgent , needs could lie attended to. The endeavour of Ihe Department was to meet j the demand, but money was the difficulty.

Growth of Business. The Minister gave; some interesting figures relating to the postal growth of Taupiri, and also a brief history of the place. The first post office was opened at Taupiri, he said, on June Ist, 1872. The postmaster was Mr 11. O. Stewart, whoso successors were: \V. 11. Lovell, appointed in 1873; O. E. Thorn, 1879; J. W. Schofield, 1882: W. Melling-, 1891: Mrs Barker, 1898; J. 11. von Sturmer. 1905: O. L. A. Hutt. January 15, 1900: J. Carnachan, August 29, 1906: N. R. Bobson. November 28, 1906; J. Carnachan, 1907; J. W. Harris, 1909; E. C. Brown, 1912; F. Graham, 1913; A, B. Shaw, 1916; Miss J. M. Brown, 1917; A. 11. Laybourn (present postmaster), June 9, 1921. Mr Shaw was the first permanent officer of the Post and Telegraph Department to take charge of Ihe office. There arc now stationed in Hie Taupiri office, in addition to the postmaster, a cadet, two telephone exchange attendants, and a message boy. A telegraph office was opened in 1882 and a telephone exchange in 1917. Willi 10 subscribers. Now there are about 70. The money order office and savings bank were opened in 1900. During Ihe last 10 years the business of the Department at Taupiri had increased considerably. In J 9.10 the number of letters and postcards posted was 36.210, and in 1920 11.090: other articles posted, 2iio and 2760. In 1910 the number of letters and postcards •fdivered was 37.260, and in 1920 72,•'(■50; other articles delivered. 3 ISO and 25.510. In 1910 Ihe postage revenue was £172. and in 1920 £166. Ir, 1910, 338 money orders were issued, of the value, of £1323. and in 1020 520 of £2788. In 1910. 100 money orders were paid .of the value of £IBB. and in 1920 of £2193. In 1910, 239 savings bank deposits were made, amounting lo £2 i 10. anil in 1920 326 to £7189. In 1910. 7 1 withdrawals were made amounting to £lOlO. and in 1920 260 amounting to £5857. In 1910 Ihe value of telegrams forwarded from Taupiri was £SO, and in 1920 £l2O. Telegrams received for delivery to Ihe residents in 1920 numbered 2320. In the same year 9 110 telephone toll messages were forwarded and 6300 received, and 5980 transmitted for other offices. Most of Ihe postmasters, prior to Mr Shaw, were officers of Hie Hailway Department: and during their respective, terms Ihe post office was conducted at Ihe railway station. When Mr Shaw was appointed postmaster the post office was removed lo a building erected by the Post am\ Telegraph Department for the, purpose. The building now erected is of wood and of a standard design, consisting of official and residential quarters under (do same roof.

Amid cheers the, Minister declared Hie post office open, and I hen inspected the building.