THE TRENTHAM POST OFFICE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 154, 19 March 1918, Page 6

THE TRENTHAM POST OFFICE

RESIDENTS PROTEST

STATEMENT BY MINISTER

In pursuance of its policy to establish in closely-populated rural or suburban districts central post offices by which the people may be continuously alforded practically all the conveniences given to the more fortunate people in the towns, the Postal Department has announced its intention to set up such an office at llerotaiinga, from which the districts of Trentham and Silver/stream will be served. One of the corollaries to the establishment of the central office is the abolition of the branch offices at such places as may now have them. At this place it is proposed .to close the Trentham Office, or rather to reduce it somewhat in status, and the people of the settlement have expressed their annoyance at the proposal. A body of residents supporting the protest on' behalf of Trent-ham waited on the Postmaster-General (Sir Joseph Ward) yesterday. They wero introduced bv the member for the district, the Hon. T. M. Wilford.

Mr. R. (juinn told Sir Joseph Ward of the meeting of \ indignation which the residents of Trentham had held, and of die resolutions tiie meeting had passed when they heard of the proposal to closo the post oflice at Trentham. Tlioy knew that their district was one that .was going ahead, and one which would continue to go ahead. They, therefore, asked the Minister to stay his band, and not to rob them of their post oflice. They did not object at all to Heretaunga having a post, office of its own, but they did object to the prospect of losing tile name Trentham, which had been identified with the pioneer work in the district, and which was now identified with the New Zealand war effort. He urged that what was proposed would not be an, improvement on piesent facilities.

Mr. J. Barton said that as an old settlor he would like to see the name Trent-ham retained, urging that the riame had much historical significance. Sir Joseph Ward said he was only too pleased to hear what the deputation had placed before him. He wished in tho first place to say that there was no possibility of the name Tren-t-ham'being blotted out. He did not think a post office .was at all necss'ary to retain the old t.ame, which he believed would be kept alive for all time. The site for tho |.-ost office at Heretaunga had been chosen as the site for a central post office some years ago. There had been a great deal of controversy between the Education Department. and the" Postal Department regarding the site. The Education Department had been endeavouring to get the site transferred from tho Postal Department for the purpose of a school. Of this proposal the Postal Department did not. approve. The Education Department must make its own arrangements regarding a site for a school. Not very long ago tho Defence Department had purchased 20 acres of land at Trentham, and in the course of a few years it should not be difficult for the Education Department to procure five or ten acres of that land, if that should bo necessary. The statementhad been made to him that the new post office should .he handed over for use as a school. This was impossible. Tho building had been erected as a post oliice, and it was not at all suited for use as a school. The aim of the Department was to serve tho whole district, and to servo it promptly. There was not enough business ill the district to warrant the keeping open of two or three post offices ottering the public all tho Postal facilities which were now to be given. At Trentham the business would not bo sufficient to justify tho maintenance of a fully-equipped office in tho place. Under tho neiv scheme the people were going to get a much better service than they had ever had before. What was being done in this place had been done in other districts, and there had been no complaints about the working of the system. He would suggest that it be given twelve months' trial, and if at the end of that time they could come to him and say that they were not getting the same facilities that they were getting now, ho would then bo prepared to consider the 'question of whether a small branch post office should be established at Trentham. Such an office, however, would not givo them anything like tho same facilities as they were to get under the new,, scheme. Under tho new scheme there would be two deliveries of letters every day, teiegrams would be delivered immediately upon arrival, the office would receive taxes, and would receive registrations of births, deaths and marriages—everything that the post office could do in any part of the country. To do-'his work it would be necessary to keen thero a trained staff, such as could not be maintained in a small branch office. In all the district there would be no fewer than seven receiving boxes for letters, and thero would be kept at Trentham also a receiving office for telegrams. He asked the deputation to give the scheme a trial, and then to tome back to him in twelve montjis or six months, or even in three months, and tell him whether they were not satisfied.