HOKITIKA POST OFFICE: DISCUSSION BY PROGRESS LEAGUE

Grey River Argus, 7 April 1948, Page 2

HOKITIKA POST OFFICE: DISCUSSION BY PROGRESS LEAGUE

The matter of .the Hokitika Bost Office, which has been on the bpciks for some time, was raisdd again at last evening’s meeting of the Westland District Progress League. The Secretary, Mr. J. S. Saunders, reported that advice had been received that the matter had been deferred owing to the position with building materials. A few days after a letter had been sent, Mr. Hackett, speaking in his capacity, as Minister of Marine, had inforfed the Lyttelton Watersiders’ Union that a hall for them might be erected. Mr. Saunders said that in 1938 the mat-, ter of a new Post Office at Hokitika had been first raised. The late Hon. James O’Brien had stated that arrangements were being made for a site beside the Police Station. In 1940, a communication had been received that £2,000 would be set aside for the Post Office. In 1943 the amount had been put at £32,000. In 1945 the League had been advised that the Post Office was No. 1 job with the Public Works Department. In July, 1946, a new Post Office had been opened at Kaikohe, where there was a population of about 760. “It’s pretty desperate and it seems that something should be done,” he concluded. Mr. G. R. Harker, the chairman, said that something should be done, as the present building was seventy years old. It had been suggested that the League write a letter every week to the Postmaster General requesting that' the job be expedited. Mr. P. C. Blank said it seemed that all assurances received by the League were empty promises. There were eight employees in the Hokitika. Post Office with colds, as a result, he said, of the state of the building. They would not take time off, as that would mean extra work for the other members of the staff. When the Prime Minister had visited the area and inspected the building he had said he would not have believed that Government employees were working under such conditions. Mr. Blank also made reference to the recent statement about the , Watersiders’ Hall for Lyttelton. It was resolved that the Prime Minister be written to asking why assurances made ten years ago by himself and other Ministers had not been honoured. Air. W. F. Harley: “Would you also point out that they have built 0. hostel at Reef ton since then?” A recommendation from the Transport and Communications Committee of the League ■was adopted as follows: “That this committee considers pressure from Hokitika residents to the Hokitika League, and in turn to the District League, should be forthcoming. The committee is very, concerned at the manner in which this often-promised new building is being deferred.

NEW INDUSTRIES ? Following receipt of a letter from Mr. T. H. Langford, Public Relations Officer with the Christchurch City Council, discussion arose as to the possibility of establishing secondary industries in Greymouth. The secretary suggested that it may be possible to get public ideas on the matter of new industries. Mr. G. F. Shallcrass reported that the matter would be difficult from a point of view of obtaining building sites. He said that the Borough Council had no sites available and that every available site was taken up. There had been a case recently of an industry looking for a site, but none had been found. Air. Blank said that there had been a possibility of establishing a plywood factory on the West Coast, but that obstacles had been met. One of them was that no import license could be obtained for a piece of machinery. However, as soon as the factory was shifted to Christchurch, the license had been granted. Now there were West Coast logs going to Canterbury for the factory. The League will obtain ideas from the public as to possible industries which could be developed >on the West Coast. It was suggested that this may take the form of a quizz.