Thursday, April 24, 2014

Thames (NZ): Then & Now: Thames Post Office

The New Zealand Post Office has travelled around the towns of Shortland and Grahamstown. From The corner of Grey and Mackay Street to various other locations including Pollen Street (North and south) and Queen Street. With the centralisation of shops back to Pollen Street in the early 1900s, the 'grand' building that still stands today was built in the late 1930s. The building was opened 29 January 1938 by the Post-Master General, the Hon F Jones.
New Zealand Herald 18 January 1938
Below the google view of the building today
The New Zealand Herald, 28 January1938 gave the cost of the building as 26,000 Pounds. Not everyone in the town was pleased with the improvements and desperately wanted a branch office at the northern end of the town. They quoted the fact that many miners and older people would find the new location harder to get to. On the first day of trading in the new building, five new savings accounts were established!