POST OFFICE FOR PAEKA KARIKI.

Otaki Mail, 24 February 1919, Page 3

POST OFFICE FOR PAEKA KARIKI.

A long-felt want is to be filled at .Paekakariki, it being decided to proceed with the erection of a building. The following correspondence explains tho matter: — „ Wellington, Jan. 30, 1919. The Hon. Acting-Postmaster-General, Wellington. Dear Sir, —I have more than once during the last year or two, by letter and by. personal interview, urged the Government to provido improved postal and telephone accommodation at Paekakariki. A sum of £BOO has for some years past been upon the Estimates? for the purpose of building a new office on the section which the Government already own. During the war, however, tho Government has declined to proceed with the erection of this building. The war is now over, and the time has undoubtedly come for providing an office such as will meet the requirements of this prosperous seaside town, the advance of which during recent years has been enormous. Apart from tho needs of tho place, the Government cannot possibly allow their officials to work in the wretched rabbit hutch of a place they now occupy any longer. The Health Department would not for a moment allow private persons to house their employees under such miserable and insanitary conditions. The matter is becoming an absolute scandal, and cannot continue. The building, which was erected at private cost, is old, cramped, leaky, cheerless, cold, and unyontilated. The postmistress and her assistant are not evon supplied with fresh water to drink, but have to Tesort to the hotel near by for this and other necessary convenienses.

If may be argued that the revenue of the office is not sufficient to warrant an expenditure of as much money as a building will, under present circumstances, cost, but ps against this I am assured that were the ordinary facilities of an up-to-date country office available at Paekakariki much more business: would Tesult.

In this connection I may mention that at many telephone offices along the Manawatu line, including those at Paekakariki and Paraparaumu, people who would uso a telephone frequently have long given up attempting to do so because of the long wait necessitated .through there not being an additional wire. The war being at an end, tho country districts generally are looking for better things, and I trust your Department will not be long in attending to their wants.—Yours faithfully, (Sgd.) W. H. FIELD, j Postmaster-General's Office, Wellington, Feb. 20, 1919. In reference to your letter of the 30th January last, urging that a Jew post office building be erected, at Paekakariki: I have the honour to inform you that it has been decided to proceed with the work, and that the necessary action is now being taken. I have, etc., i W. D. B. MACDONALD, ! Acting-Postmaster General.