EASTBOURNE WANTS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2181, 20 June 1914, Page 18

EASTBOURNE WANTS

POST OFFICE & A -TELEPHONE

NOTHING THIS YEA.R

Better postal and telephone facilities for the people of Eastbourne were asked for by a deputation, from the Eastbcnrno Borough Council lviiich waited upon the I'ostinastcr-General (the Hon, llr. ]{hodes) yesterday. Tito Jlayor (Mr. W. J. Organ) said, that the request for a post aifiee at Eastbourne was not a new one. He pointed out that although •the borough of Eastbourne did not comprise the whole of tlie area on the eastern side of the harbour, a post office; erected oti the site owned by tlu> Department would serve the wh&le of that district. The permanent papulation in the winter was about 1000 inhabitants, and in the summer this number Was doubled. They did not ask for an expensive building, but they suggested that the Department would be .justified in putting up a building largo enough for the business of tho district. Since they had last interviewed the Pcstmaster-Gcneral the borough had acquired tho Ferry Sen-ice, and this was an indication of tho progress,! of tho district. Tho application was supported hy Councillors Kelly and Pilchfir and by tho Rev. A. Van Staveren. Tho Jfinister, in reply, 6atd: _ that since the deputation had interviewed him last year he had, as the result of inquiry, learned that the postal and telegraph business at Eastpcatne was not considerable, but lie realised that it; tho near future the district'would be entitled to an office. Perhaps their acquisition of. the ferry service would', lead to an increase of population, bathe did not think he would _be able to to do anything in the direetion <si making their wishes this year. Their request would, however, be taken Jitto consideration. An. enormous mitnber of demauds were being made for post offices, and lie had not been able yet to dispose of the list of offices promised by his predecessors. The. deputation asked als<» for the installation of a slot telephone at Eastbourne, pointing out that the .presenttelephone was not . available at all hours. Tho Minister said ho dottttal whether siich an installation would pay. In any case the distance would, necessitate a charge of sixpence'' being mafic and from (.-stimatos given him it Appeared as if it might cost as much to instal such a telephone as it would ta l-uild a post office. «b»y had telephonic communication at jEastlwuriiß and he had no doubt that in cases of emergency they would not hsve much difficulty in getting conimvi-nicatuiil with Wellington after office hours, either at the post office or by a private telephone. He could not hold out any i'ittpe that their request witild bo granted at present. TJio Town Clerk said that much of the difficulty was caused .at' pfesaitl through other places using the saw w.tre. .... .'...' 'Mr. Rhodes promised to inquire whether the wire was congested mi if so whether the congestion could be Jemoved. He would do hie hesfc to gfvo tho residents a better service, althaugh he could not promise to give them inether wire. . }..