POSTAL DELIVERY EXTENSION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3144, 23 March 1909, Page 5

POSTAL DELIVERY EXTENSION.

AND TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION.

A meeting of residents of the Upper Plain and Fernridge was held in the Fernridge Schoolroom last evening for the purpose of discussing thi question of securing (1) an extension of the present daily postal delivery, (2) establishment of telephonic communication with the Masterton Bureau.

The chair was occupied by Mr H. Evans, Chairman of the School Committee.

Correspondence was read from the Postmaster-G°ieral, in reply to an application m le on behalf of the settlers by M-- W. C. Buchanan, M.P., for a pot office for thf> Fernridge district, stating that the letter delivery from Masterton already extends for a distance of two and a-half miles in the direction of Fernridge, and at the terminus of the delivery there is a posting box, which is cleared daily. There was no place between the terminus of the delivery and Waingawa, where an offics could be placed, and even if one were established many, if not the majority of the settlers, would still have thair correspondence left at the Masterton Post Office. In the circumstances he regretted that the desired office could not he established at present.

Speaking in reference to the subjects to be discussed by the meeting the chairman stated that it was desirous tn obtain the service best suited to the bulk of the residents in the localities interested. Mr Falkner stated that some years ago the Postmaster-General had promised a daily delivery to Kaituna, but the settlers interested thought the amount of postal business done there did not warrant it, and accepted a tri-weekiy service. He thought that the business had grown sufficiently now to again urge upon the Postmaster-General the necessity of instituting a daily service to Kaituna. Po3tal boxes at positions to be decided upon could be set up, and be cleared regularly by the official carrying th 3 daily mail to Kaituna. Mr Welch urged upon the meeting the necessity of agitating for a telej phene bureau in conjunction with the I postal delivery. Telephonic connection was a great convenience and was being established in outlying parts all over the Wairarapa. They should endeavour to have the Government line extended through to Kaituna. A guarantee might be required, but he thought it was a rare occasion on which guarantors were called upon to make up any deficiency as the lines were generally selfsupporting. Mr Falkner moved that a petition be got up requesting the PostmasterGeneral to grant a daily mail service to Kaituna, and that the delivery be so arranged as to permit private boxes to be cleared by the mail carrier, provided the boxes are erected on

the road frontage of the respective residences. The motion was carried. Mr K. Kibblewhite moved and Mr R. J. Dagg seconded, that the delivery be a morning one.—The motion was carried unanimously. Mr Falkner moved "that the Post-master-General be asked to establish telephonic communication between Masterton and Kaituna, provided the necessary guarantee is forthcoming, and that a bureau be established at the Fernridge."—The motion was seconded by Mr Kibblewhite and carried.

The following committee was set up to arrange the necessary petitions: —Messrs Falkner, W. G. Welch and H. Evans.