THE PAHIATUA POST OFFICE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3100, 25 January 1909, Page 4

THE PAHIATUA POST OFFICE.

■ The business people of Pahiatua are i unanimously of opinion that the pres- ! ent location of the Post Office is ex- ; tremely inconvenient, and as the ! thriving town of Pahiatua continues i to grow there is no doubt that the 1 advisability of the Post Office being more centrally situate:! will become more apparent th&n ever. The Government are not to be found fault with for the Post Office being in an inconvenient position. It has been in existence for many years, and everyone can understand that in the case i of small communities it is often diffii cult to tell in what direction the town will spread. The most that any Governu:ent, or Department, can be expected to do is to repair, as far as possible, the effect of any errors of judgment it may have committed in ■ the past. Such amends the Postal Department is anxious to make in the case of the site of the Pahiatua Post • Office, and it has been suggested to the Borough Council that it should agree to give the Department a site in one of the squares in the centre of the town for a Post Office. Even were the Post Office not so inconveniently situated a9it is the idea is a good one, because it is understood that the site would bp used for other Government buildings, and as matters now are Pahiatua's public buildings are scattered all over the place, but this is another aspect of the question To grant the Department's request would, of course, entail no sacrifice whatever upon the residents of the town; to do so in fact would be of great advantage to them. Pahiatua is more than sufficiently blessed in the matter of public squares, in the heart of the town, yet strange to say neither the Borough Council nor the Chamber of Commerce could , see their way to approve of the Department's proposal, that is to say, a majority of members in each of these bodies is opposed to the proposition. But the curious part of the whole business is that while not approving of the town parting with one or a portion of one of its several squares, the Chamber of Commerce wishes the Government to purchase an expensive site in Main street between Mann street a«d Mangahao road, preferably what is known as "the Mangahao site." We understand that the site in question is worth at least £3,000, and levelheaded people, of course, recognise that there is no prospect whatever of inducing the Government to make any such purchase. The action of the Borough Council is about as nonunderstandable as that of the Chamber of Commerce, for, though the Council has not advised the Government to purchase a site in any vicinity, they are yet well aware of the views of the Chamber of Commerce, and should the Government purchase the Mangahao site the loss in rates to the Borough j Council would be, we believe, some £BO per annum. An increase in accommodation is required at the Pahiatua Post Office, and as theie is a prospect of the Government rebuilding before long the site question should be thoroughly thrashed out. It is a question of importance to the town, and possibly it would be well if the Mayor were to con vene a public meeting and lay all the facts before the burgesses. Of course, only an expression of opinion could be obtained at such a meeting, but the Borough Council would, no doubt, be guided by such an opinion if it were that of a representative meeting.