NGATEA POST OFFICE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4825, 29 April 1925, Page 3

NGATEA POST OFFICE.

OFFICIAL OPENING.

SYMBOL OF PROGRESS. Monday last was another red letter day in the history of the Hauraki Plains in general, and of Ngatea in particular, as on that day an event took Place which demonstrated the rapid strides in progreps of the district and the town, and the faith in such held by that conservative branch of the Government, the Post and Telegraph Department.

On that day, in the presence of some 300 people, the splendid new Post and Telegraph Office at Ngatea was officially opened by Mr T. H. Rodes, M.P. for the district.

Thirteen years ago’ the third post office on the H.auraki"Plains was opened at Ngatea. In those days the postmaster. would send telegrams and uee the telephone merely for the sake of keeping his office from being closed. Even in 1914 the department’s records showed that the amount of business was so small that only 14 inward btiieau communications were received during the year. Compare this ■ with the total for 1924, which was 11,384, and some idea of the amazing rapidity of the growth of the townshin and the progress of tlie surrounding district can be gauged.

Addressing the gathering outside the office, which was gaily bedecked with bunting, Mr Rhodes, wlio was introduced by the county chairman, Mr J. C. Miller, expressed regret that the Hon. J. G. Coates, PostmasterGeneral. had been unable to be pre-

sent to perform the ceremony on account of the illness of the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey. It was a source of regret, to all, no matter what their political opinions, that Mr Massey had been laid low, and it was universally hoped that he would be restored to health, for although an elderly man he whs good for many more years of work. The day, continued the speaker, was a red-letter one hr the annals of Ngatea and the Hauraki Plains, and there was no doubt of the great future or the town and district. 'He trace! the development of postal factilitie» in Ngatea, and the difficulties that had to be overcome to get the old post office building. Now the town had an office that is should be pleased and proud to have, and one that reflected credit on the. Postal Department, the people, and the district. He expressed the hope that the district, would progress so rapidly that it would outgrow in a very short time the new office which had been built to meet the requirements of the district for the next fifteen years. Mr Rhodes then referred to the aci.iviiies of Mr Boyd, the chief postmaster for the Thames postal district, who had always taken a very keen interest in the-welfare of Ngatea. and the Hauraki Plains. His departure to be chief postmaster at Hamilton would be widely regretted. Mr Rhodes read the official statement issued by the Post 'and Telegraph Department concerning the Ngatea. office • (published elsewhere in this issue), and said that no one could hear those figures or see them in cold print, without being astounded at the rapid progress which had taken place. However,- the district was only on the fringe of development, and the flay would shortly come when the present office would be taxed to the utmost.

After congratulating the builders, Msesrs Street and Street, of Hamilton. and the Public Works Department’s supervisor, Mr Walker, Mr Rhodes unlocked the door of tlie office and officially declared it -open for business. He expressed the hope that

tlie business done would be only a fraction of what would be done in to come.

The Chief Postniaster, Mr R. H. 1-oyd, was the next speaker. He; said lie was really surprised at the rapid growth of the district. With the erection of the post office it could be said that Ngatea was really on the map. It was barely' three and a half yeans since he had taken control of the Thames postal district, and extraordinary though it might seem, the department’s business during that short period, had been conducted in three different buildings. Assuredly this was a record, and he was, doubtful if any other town in the Dominion could claim more frequent changes in a similar period. In his reports he had endeavoured to secure an office (sufficient for the requirements of Naglea for the Text 15 years.. He was sure that if in. a few years enlargements /were warranted they would be made, ajs the department was out for business. It wanted everyone to have a ic.'eplione, and he was sure that it would not be very long before there were 150 or 200 subscribers connected to the Ngatea exchange. He was glad to announce that in a very few days the hours of attendance at the telephone exchange would be extended to 11 p.m., and that in a week or so a telegraph messenger would attached to the staff of the Ngatea office. Mr Boyd referred to the. splendid work of the postmaster, Mr J. M. Robb, and expressed his sorrow at losing the services of such a wortay and painstaking officer. His successor would be Mr N. Boyne, at present postmaster at Waikanai.. Mr Boyd congratulated the people

of Ngatea on having been given an up-to-date office, and thanked Mr T. ;W. Rhodes for his kind remarks, which; he said, were not deserved, as what he had done had been a labour of love. He had not accomplished ail ’ he had set out. to do, but he had done liis best. He would feel hjs departure from the district very keenly, but would be consoled by the thought that he was carrying away, the respect of the people. After the opening ceremony the visitors, 'who included members, and the wives, of local bodies and chambers of commerce from the neigh-

bourhood, were entertained to afternoon tea at Mr W. A. Montgomerie’s tearooms. Toasts to the Parliament of New Zealand and to local bodies were - honoured, b.ut so many ot the

visitors had to leave earlier than was expected that the proceedings had to be curtailed.

In proposing the toast of "The Parliament of New Zealand” Mr J. O. Miller, county chairman, referred to the illness of the Prime Minister and expressed the hope that he would make a speedy recovery. Mr Miller said that it was very easy to criticise the actions of Parliament, but it was another matter to govern satisfactorily. It was very often necessary for Parliament to adopt a go-between policy. so as to do what it considered the best for the greatest number. The Ministers of the Crown at the present time were equal to or better than any that there had been for many years. The speaker referred at length to the •work of the Minister for . Public Works. Railways, Post and Telegraph, eto., the Hon. J. G. Coates, and to the work of the Minister, for Lands, the Hon. A. D. McLeod.

In replying, Mr T. W. Rhodes, M.P., explained some of the inner working of Parliament, 'and mentioned the high place held by the Parliament of New Zealand among those of the the Empire.' There wajs never any suggestion of graft. In his 14 years of membeiship he had never been ap proached with any such suggestion. A Voice : Hard luck, Toby. (Laughter.) Mr Rhodes 1 said that he always regretted when a Bill was made a party measure, for he always voted as ne thougtit fit on a question except when it was made a party measure and a vote against would be a vote of no confidence in the Government. Prior to proposing the toast of “Local Bodies” Mr W. E. G. Willy congratulated the people of Ngatea on their splendid past office, and said that the postal facilities of any country demonstrated the standard of intelligence of the people of that country. Mr Willy said that he had some knowledge of the work of local bodies, but had found that persons who. were 'not members had very little idea »)f the amount of work undertaken or the amount of time necessary, to attend to public, affairs. It was necessary for local bodies to consider their business veiy thoroughly, for theirs wap usually one of the biggest business undertakings in the district. It was necessary that public affairs should be controlled by local men. He had no fault to find with the Lands Drainage Department in the past, but would point out that the whole of the money spent on the Hauraki Plains by the Government had been the settlers own money, and that no funds had come out of any account except the Hauraki Plains Settlement account. The district was progressing rapidly, and it was necessary to have on local bodies men who could stand four square to all the winds that blew, so that the progress could be guided along the right lines. The toast was replied to by Mr w. McDuff, chairman of the Horahia Drainage Board, who said that his board had not been in existence very long, and so had litUe to show., but it was out to do its best for the ratepayers. Drainage was of the utmost importance, for without it such things as post offices would never have been necessary on the Hauraki Plains. Mr W. E. Hale, chairman of the Thames Hospital Board, also responded, and referred to the work of his board in endeavouring to cater for the requirements of a large and scattered district. During the recent epidemic of infantile paralysis the Thames Hospital was one of the few institutions iir Now Zealand thnl had not lost a case.