Chapter XIX.
POST OFFICE—TELEGRAPH—MAIL SERVICES.
THE Charleston Post Office, a very humble-looking building, stood at the corner of Camp Street South and Darkie’s Terrace Road, on the Post Office Reserve. From 1867 to 1872 it was a Chief Post Office, the head of a district, but from the 1st December of the latter year became subordinate to Westport office. Prior to 1st May, 1867, the Post Office was conducted by Mr. H. W. Stebbing, in his store in Coal Street. The postmaster’s residence was upon the opposite corner of Darkie’s Terrace Road, on the Camp Reserve. It was built in February, 1868, at a cost of £135.
In 1868 the construction of the telegraph line from Greymouth to Westport was completed, and telegraph offices were opened at Brighton and Charleston in August of that year, and at Westport during the following month. The line was erected at the instance of the Provincial Government of Nelson which guaranteed to “The General Government Electric Telegraph Department” six per cent. interest on the total cost of construction, as well as any deficiency between the revenue and the actual cost of working and maintaining the line. The line, however, was owned and constructed by the General Government, the route being surveyed by Mr. Alexander Aitken and constructed by day labour under his supervision. It was 67 miles long and cost £7,000, being the most expensive in New Zealand up to that date, the work having presented many difficulties, necessitating the cutting of a track through dense bush; also the swampy nature of the ground offered great obstacles—when some of the poles were set up they sank to solid bottom at a depth of seven feet
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