TE KUITI’S POSTMASTER

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 828, 23 November 1929, Page 6

TE KUITI’S POSTMASTER

RETIRING AFTER 40 YEARS SERVICE From Our Oun Correspondent TE KUITI, Today. Alter a long and varied service in the Post and Telegraph Department, Mr. J. Williams today relinquishes the office of postmaster at Te Kuiti. where he had been stationed for the past six years. Mr. Williams, who has 40 years’ service to his credit, entered the Post and Telegraph Department at Reefton. Later he served at Auckland and Hokitika, then as postmaster at Tokavnaru Bay for ten years, and also at Miirton Junction. Waluku, Matamata, Inglewood and several other places, coming to Te Kuiti six years ago. W hile relieving at Cheviot in 1901, Mr. Williams distinguished himself luring the earthquake which occurred there on November 16. For three days .nd nights Mr. Williams remained at his post sending out messages from i he pf*t office, which had been damaged by the earthquake. The tele--raphic instruments were put out of commission, and it was only after patient repairing that Mr. Williams was able* to transmit the large number of telegrams forwarded by Cheviot residents to their relatives. At that time a Wellington paper stated that if such a distinction as a Victoria Cross for public, service had been available, that honour should have been bestowed on Mr. Williams f*>r his conduct during that trying ordeal. Mr. Williams, who has always taken .u keen interest in local affairs, is a keen bowler, and is also a member