HAWERA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

MEETING OF COUNCIL

A meeting of 'tie Council of the HaweVa Chamber of Commerce was held on Monday evening. Present: Messrs E. Dixon (president), J. E. Roe, J. A. Duffill, H. D. Caplen, C. A. Strack, and A. Blair. Mr R. H. Nolan forwarded his resignation owing to his impending departure for England. Messrs J. W. Harding, R. Hislop, and H. J. Atkinson were elected members. . The secretary of the Universal Exhibition at Nottingham, England, forwarded prospectus of the exhibition to be held at Nottingham in 1914, and called attention to the exceptional opportunity which will be afforded to manufacturers of displaying their goods to a large and prosperous community. The Kaipara Chamber- or Commerce sent the following resolution for consideration of the Chamber: "That this Chamber views with serious concern the possibility of a recurrence of such lamentable crisis as that which has recently distressed the Dominion and jeopardised its industries; that we are of opinion that to provide an assurance of settled conditions some measure of compulsory registration and arbitration is necessary, supported by adequate power under the law to enforce the fulfilment of its awards by the Court, against both^ the property and the person of those failing to carry out the term's of the award." It was resolved to allow the matter to stand over until.' the next meeting, when it will be fully discussed. The Secretary of the General Post Office, writing in reply to the Chamber's eqiJiies as to the terms on which continuous attendance would be given at the Hawera Telephone Exchange, said that the exchange would be kept open continuously if at any time not less than two-thirds of the total number of subscribers express in writing, addressed to the Secretary of the Department, their desire that the ex- ' change sould be so open and agree to the minimum annual subscription being either £7 per annum for business connections and £5 per annum for private residence connections, or alter- • natively £6 per annum for each connection. The letter to be kept for future reference. Mr G. V. Pearce, M.P., wrote thanking the Chamber for its expression of appreciation in connection with the Pa tea Harbor Bill. He said he was pleased to get the Bill through so early in the session. He was of the opinion that most of the Waimate Plains should be added to the Patea Harbor District as its produce was shipped mostly through the Patea harbor, but New Plymouth was allowed to include this area in its harbor district. The president moved that the Chamber call the attention of the Minister for Railways to the great inconvenience caused to the business people, and also the consumers through the Railway Department refusing to receive goods for Mokoia, Ball Road, Manutahi, and other stations adjacent to Hawera except on Mondays and Thursdays. Mr Strack seconded the motion, and it was carried. The president.moved that the Chamber expresses its appreciation of the Government's action in placing a sum on the estimates for commencing the Opunake railway, and trusts that the work will be commenced immediately. Mr Strack seconded the motion, and it was carried. On the motion of the president and Mr Roe, it was resolved that the Chamber thank the Hon. Mr Herdman, Minister for Justice, on the success attending his efforts in the passing of legislation to increase the judges to cope with the work in the Dominion, and the Chamber would ap- j preciate a reply from him in reference , to the reqxiest for the establishment of i Supreme Court sittings in Hawera. The president referred to the indiistrial unrest, and'moved: "That the Chamber congratulates the Government, also the farmers, on the ( effec-, tive manner in which they have opened up the por.ts, making it possible for merchants to receive goods and farmers to ship produce for the Home markets during the present industrial disturbances." Mr Duffill seconded the motion, which was carried. The advisableness of promoting a motor .service ■to Opunake was discussed. Mr Roe moved: "That a committee be set up to consider means of promoting motor lorry communication with Opunake by local enterprise." Mr Caplen seconded the motion, which was carried. 1 Blair, Roe, Sutton and the president were appointed the commit-1 tee. ! On the proposal of Messrs Strack and Blair, the following resolution was carried: "That the Cliamber is pleased to hear that the Borough Council is taking steps to have the Ohawe Reserve vested in the borough to provide a seaside report for Hawera. Members spoke of the annoyance caused to pedestrians through the exit to the railway station being blocked by traffic, and itwas- resolved, on the motion of Messrs Roe and Blair, to refer the matter to the Borough Council with a request to have the wheel traffic regulated so as to provide access to the station for pedestrians. This being the last meeting of the present year, compliments of the season were exchanged, and the meeting adjourned.