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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Taranaki, Hawke's Bay & Wellington Provincial Districts]

Customs House

Customs House.

The Office Of H.M. Customs, Napier, has occupied various positions in the town, and is now (1906) located in the building formerly occupied by the Survey Department. Most of the business of this department, however, is transacted at Port Ahuriri. The Customs returns are steadily increasing the returns for 1905 amounting to about £85,000, a considerable increase compared with the returns for 1892, which were £58,000.

Mr. W. Sibbald, the Collector of Customs at Napier, is referred to on page 177 of the Auckland volume of the Cyclopedia of New Zealand.

The Customs Office at Port Ahuriri stood for many years on the site now occupied by the local post office, but was removed to its present location facing the “Iron Pot,” in 1895, in which year it was rebuilt. It contains the collector's room, the landing waiter's room, the long room, the locker's room, and a store room.

Mr. Arthur Valentine Penn, Landing Waiter at Port Ahuriri, was born in Worcestershire, England, in February, 1867, was educated at the Stourbridge Grammar School, and at an early age emigrated to New Zealand with his parents, who settled in the Stratford district, Taranaki. In January, 1884, he entered the Customs department of the Government service, and was stationed first at Auckland, and after serving in Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, was appointed in September, 1901, to his present position. Mr. Penn takes a keen interest in musical matters, and is a member of the Frivolity Minstrels, the Orchestral and Harmonic Societies, and the Napier Bowling Club.

Bunting, photo.Mr. A. V. Penn.

Bunting, photo.
Mr. A. V. Penn.