THE HAMILTON EAST POST OFFICE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1882, 29 July 1884, Page 2

THE HAMILTON EAST POST OFFICE.

A public meeting of the burgesses of the Borough of Hamilton ami the settlers of the surrounding districts, convened by his Woiship the Mayor in response to a lcquisition, was held at the Publia Hall last night to consider the action of the Government in closing the post-office. Despite the wretched state of the weather tlieie were over fort}' of the most prominent townspeople and settlers present, and the chair was occupied by the mayoi (Mr R. Peat). The Mayor opened the proceedings by reading the advertisement in The Wai kato Times, and then read the following letter which he had just received from Mr J. B. Whyte, V.HR :— Hamilton, July 28th, 1884. The Chairman of the Meeting. Dear Sir, — 1 exceedingly regret that the state of my health prevents my being present at the meeting to-night. Perhaps you will be good enough to make my apologies, and inform tho^e present that a petition numerously and influentially signer! pi otebting against the closing of the Kuikirhou, Post-office has been sent by me to the Postmaster-General. I have also sent to that gentleman (the Hon. Mr Oliver) a letter setting foith stiongly the circumstances of tho case. This together _Avith the lesolutions which will, no doubt, be passed by the meeting to-night will, I have little doubt, have the effect of preventing the injustice which it is proposed to perpetrate upon the people resident on the East side of the liver. Sympathising heartily with the object of the meeting;, I am, yours faithfully, J. B. Whyi-e. Mr John Knox proposed the first resolution as follows: — "That this meeting would respectfully urge upon the postal authorities the great hardship and injustice that would be inflicted on the residents and settlers of the large disliict of Kinkiriroa by the proposed closing of Kirikiriroa or East Hamilton post-office at the close of the cut rent month." He said he was sorry he had not had an opportunity of signing the petition to the Postmaster-General against the closing of the post-office. Owing to the necessity for despatching the document quickly, it had not been bi ought across the river. From his long experience of Hamilton he could say that the proposal of the Postal Depaitn ent, if carried into effect, would be a most serious calamity. One part of the borough could not be injured but that the whole would feel it (applause) He thought such a resolution as he had moved, coming through the boroug'i authorities, would have great weight with the Government, as it should. Had it not been for the state of the weather, a large number of people would have been been present, but as it was, some of them there had come lonsj distances. He thought the question, Why should the only post-office in the distiict of Kiiikiriioa be closed ? would be a very difficult one for the Government to answer. The saving of £25 was a mere tufle. (Hear, hear.) Mr S. T. Seddon seconded the motion It was understood that the object of the Government in closing this post office was economy, but he could tell them that it meant increased expenditure. The Postmaster - General had no doubt been led away by tho fact that other places larger than Hamilton had only one post-office, but the Chief Postmaster ought to have informed him that the Hamilton East Post office was the postoffice for the large disti let of Kirikiriroa. If this were shut up the settlers could justly demand that another office should be opened in a more central place. The settlers would never consent to go the extra distance for their letters before 5 p.m. after being accustomed for a long series of yeais, through the courtesy of Mr LeQuesne, they could get them long after the usual hour. If the change were effected many would nob get their correspondence until the next day. Was it likely that the settlers would consent to be robbed of their necessary pound of bread in order that the townspeople might have an ounce of cake ? If the department really desired to economise, let it do away with the luxury of a lettercarrier, (Hear, hear.) These luxuries had a tendency to grow. If th 3 settlers of Kirikiriroa were content to come three, four and five miles for their letters, was it too much to ask the townspeople to walk one mile ? (Hear.) The change would seriously interfere with their business arrangements, and nothing would be saved. (Hear, hear.) The motion was then put and carried unanimously. Mr A. Primrose moved the second resolution, which read :— " That the members for Waikato and Waipabe requested to represent to the Government the claims of the Kirikiriroa settlers in the above matter, and the disproportionate saving to be effected by the closing of the Kirikiriroa Post Office, when compared with the general loas and inconvenience that would be thereby occasioned." Mr Primrose endorsed all that Mr Seddon had said, and urged that the large amount of business done at the Hamilton East Post-office was a sufficient argument in favour of its being kept open. Mr Gillett seconded the resolution, laying 1 stress on the argument that no saving could possibly be effected by the change, as other offices must be opened if this were closed. The resolution was carried unanimously. Mr W. Dey moved, "That copies of these resolutions be telegraphed to the Postmaster-Geueral, and forwarded to the members for the district." He said the business people would suffer greatly by the change, as the delay in getting their letters would prevent many being answered by return post. Mr Gaudin seconded "the resolution. He said he had come prepared with statistics, but seeing how unanimous the meeting was he would not detain them. This resolution was also put, and carried unanimously. Mr Seddon said it had been represented that extra. expense would be incurred in getting the mails conveyed from the railway station to the post-office. He might say in answer to thi* .that parties interesttd were prepared to do the work , freer '-'f. Apprise,) ' -* *}*-' '>J ' .^Aheartyvyote of, thanks haying, on the, ;jnfctidn \o'f f^Klr.* KnWj secondfeduby <1&f r; , beejij accorded .,,thV mayor for f - j-]T(*fliciijpflfJ'f sknd^zor^ bq $ffli om ptly^^ accedinti^x