He pārongo atu anōCountry Post offices in Levin

Description

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Toffee dispensed with stamps at early Ohau P.O.

Post Office records say the Koputaroa Post Office was started on March 22 1889. Shown in photo at left in 1928.

This seems early as Levin had only been settled in the same year. However, the Koputaroa School began about 1891. Flax milling was being done then with ships coming up the Manawatu River for cargoes of flax.

The Post Office was probably incorporated in a store at first. The first Postmaster was Mr H. Dunlop.

Kereru

The name of the Post Office was probably Kereru as the railway station was named this until 1909 when the Government bought the Wellington Manawatu Railway Company’s line. As there was another Kereru else where the station’s name was changed to Koputaroa.

From September 1 1901 the Postmistress was Mrs J. Coe (nee Wilson) followed by Miss M. Taylor Purdy on August 22, 1908.

It is said the store was burnt down in 1908 so perhaps it was then that a post office was built on the west side of the store. This had a separate entrance.

Though there is no record of the fact it is remembered by several people that Miss Maggie Perry was the next Postmistress, followed by Miss Annie Doyle.

The Office had Savings Bank facilities in at least 1913 as Mr Jim Ward opened a Savings account then. The office would not have been a world record for smallness as one day young Frank Graham’s pony took him right inside.

By October 1 1924 Miss Elsie Boyle was Postmistress. She said the office was very busy at that time as many Dalmatians working in the flax industry sent money to their homeland.

Petrol rebates

Also petrol rebates for tractors used on the land had started and many farmers were confused about this. The Postmistress had to straighten out these problems.

Mr Honi McMillan was a great help to her in explaining to Maori customers the procedures of applications.

Miss Gibson (now Mrs Barrie) told me recently that Anniversary Day was not a holiday as the post offices in the other provinces were working, so she had to be in the office with no customers as she said most of the Koputaroa people went to the beach.

She was to deliver telegrams next pm on a bicycle, usually after 5pm or in her lunch hour, so that the office could be kept open during usual hours. If a telegram had to be delivered over a mile a fee of six pence was supposed to be paid to her but many people did not have the six pence.

Mail only

In 1934 the role of the office was reduced to mail only, so it was transferred to the store as an agency and from then on the storekeeper was the postal officer.

Mr R.S. Brown from September 13, 1934 was followed by Mr N.R. Davies on July 15, 1963, Mr S.W. Morgan on December 6, 1965, Mr G.R. McKenzie on October 2, 1967 Mr D.J. Piaggi on April 1, 1969, Mr W.H. McCready on July 7, 1972, Mrs D.P. Whitcombe on November 3, 1975 and the present officer, Mrs J.N. Harris, from November 1, 1977.

The small office was sold and shifted to Waitarere. Additions were built on and it is now a house.

Tautuhi

Date

February 23, 1983