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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts]

Post Office

Post Office.

The Post, Telegraph, and Telephone Departments at Blenheim occupy the north-west corner page 325 of the Government buildings. Originally the headquarters of the postal department were at Picton, but were removed to Blenheim, when that town was made the seat of the Provincial Government. For many years Blenheim was the chief transmitting station in New Zealand, and gave employment to sixty operators, but when improved methods of transmission were introduced, and an extra cable was laid, the staff was reduced in number. A telephone exchange, with about sixty subscribers, was established in the year 1887, and is now open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. There are a large number of private letter boxes in connection with the postal branch, and a morning and an afternoon delivery are made within the borough. Messrs J. R. Gard, John Allen, Bragge, Winstanley, A Livingstone, S. J. Macalister, Ballard, and John Bull have been, successively, postmasters at Blenheim. Mr. Ernest Northeroft is at present (1905) Chief Postmaster.

Mr. Ernest Northcroft was appointed Chief Postmaster at Blenheim in August, 1902. He is further referred to on page 932 of the Auckland volume of this Cyclopedia.

Mr. John Bull , formerly Chief Postmaster at Blenheim, was appointed to the position in December, 1895. He was born in 1843, and joined the service in 1863 at Lyttelton, where he took up duty in the Telegraph Department. When the amalgamation of the two services was effected, Mr. Bull was promoted to the position of chief clerk at Timaru. He also opened the Thames and Greymouth branches, and acted as postmaster at Cambridge and Tauranga, and chief postmaster at Hokitika before going to Blenheim, Before coming to New Zealand, Mr. Bull was in the Tasmanian service. He
Mr. J. Bull.

Mr. J. Bull.

Protected. Government Buildings, Blenheim. Macey. photo.

Protected. Government Buildings, Blenheim. Macey. photo.

page 326 retired on a pension in November, 1902, and now (1905) lives in retirement at Tauranga.