FITZROY POST OFFICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 April 1916, Page 4

FITZROY POST OFFICE.

CLOSED WITHOUT NOTICE. DEPARTMENTAL PARSIMONY. For many years past the residents of Fitzroy have been able to transact their postal, "telegraph, money order, savings bank, and other business usually undertaken at a post office, at the Fitzroy Store, and the business has grown with tli (! increase of population and settlement until it has reached to an appreciable amount. Now that the trams and freezing works are attracting still further residents, with the certainty of a largely increased volume of post office business, the public have suddenly been deprived of the boon by the closing down on the first of the current month of the local post office) without the slightest notice whatever.

So far as can be ascertained, the chief postmaster at New Plymouth had seven weeks' notice from Mr. Taylor, the proprietor of the store, that he would not continue the post office business after March 31 unless more adequate remuneration was made than he was then receiving, but the Department refused the increase of pay ana the office was closed down. The people of th* district naturally feel aggrieved, and arc greatly inconvenienced by this sudden stoppage, and a telegram was sent to the head office, Wellington, to that effect by ex-Councillor Jas. Kibby, who has received a reply regretting the inconvenience caused, but stating that no one could be found to tako charge of the office for £54 a year, which was the utmost that could be offered. It is not surprising that any self-respecting person would accept such a sum for providing the office wherein to transact the business, attending to the telephone bureau and telegraph, delivering all telegrams, conducting the money order, savings bank, old age pensions and other business, besides making out numerous returns and replying to the usual crop of queries. The duties practically absorb the time of one person in the office, and a boy for the delivery work, and for the remuneration of this staff coupled with office rent £1 a week is offered. It is proposed that in the event of no satisfactory arrangements being made to rc-open the office, that the member foi the district will be asked to ventilate the matter in Parliament, but it is hoped that the Department will come to its senses before then.