CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXI, Issue 36, 12 August 1908, Page 3

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

A special meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held last night for the purpose of meeting Mr Hall, M.P., and discussing with him several matters of local interest. Mr Bickford presided, and the following gentlemen were -present: — Messrs Johnston, Bain, Ratlibone, Ransom, Spence, Nowett, Blakiston, Buiok, Wratt, Ryan, Gurr, R. G. Patorson; and Dobson secretary. The first subject discussed was the PIRIPIRI SIDING. '■'■.. Mr Hall said he had interviewed tho authorities on this matter and explained the inconvenience of having the siding,, fenced off, to say nothing of the injustice of it. He had pointed out that mills were still cutting on the Pii-i Piri Block, and that settlers, needed the siding- to truck their firewood as it' was quite 1£ miles to Mangatera siding. In reply to these representations Mr. Ronayne had informed him that who ever fenced the siding off had exceeded their duty, and ho had promised to have the matter put right at onco and they could rest assiiroed . that access jnroUld be given to the siding. CUSTOMS DECLARATIONS. Mr Ransom pointed out the great inconvenience country traders suffered through the right to witness customs declarations being taken away from Justices of the Peace, as often it was not possible to get the postmaster just when he was wanted, and this, sometimes cause importers to miss a mail with the result that their goods were delayed and storage often had to be paid. . Mr Hall .replied that lie had intei*viowed the Minister for Customs on tho point and he (the Minister) had assured. him that the department had been obliged to take the right awa-y from justices because of abuses which. had been discovered. Very often a justice had not time to examine .tho details of the statement and consequently improper . practices had arisen. : " Mir Ransom pointed out .that the justice was not concerned with the details of the document, but all he had to do waS to see that the declaration, was made, and that it was signed. by the -importer . , Mi; Hall said if that, was So lie had heon iyj?ongly. informed and/ he would see the Department again. MAUNGA ? WAIKOP"IRO ROAD. Mr Rathbone' mentioned the 'matter of forming the connecting link of .road between the Raumati settlement and Waikopiro, which he understood would take £500 to make. Mr Hall said there would be a vote on, the estimates for that. work. Mr Wratt: asked if it .would improve the prospect if it was known to the Department that the' owners concerned were willing to give tho land. Mr Hall said it would, and asked that this fact be stated in writing, but it would have to be done at once, as the estimates would be. before the House shortly ; . PILFERING AT RAILWAY ' STATIONS. Mr Dobson introduced the matter ■of the pilfering that, was known to be going on at the smaller railway stations, and instanced Mangatera as a case in point. He suggested partitioning a portion of the station .building off, and giving duplicate keys to the guard, who could lock the goods up, and to the local surfaceman, who could' give delivery of them to the public. . Mr Hall thought the request a very reasonable one, and he believed the

Railway Department would grant it on the suggestion. SUBWAY 01? BRIDGE? The matter of the .subway or a bridge at the railway station \vs\ ; j next discussed, and Mr Hall ex--phiined that he had not been idh» in this connection. Unfortunately during his absence the wrong man had 'been approached, and Sir Joseph Ward had expressed himself as hostile to the proposal on the ground of expense,- and when the Treasurer was against any particular thing it was a; difficult obstacle to overcome. However, he - had kept steadily at the Minister.' for Railways, who had expressed doubts as to a subway, but had asked him (Mr Hall) if a bridge Avould do. He had replied that before giving a definite answer on that point he would have to consult his constituents and that was why lie had asked them to meet him that night. He had also seen 'the general manager/ and Mr llbwayne had taken tip tho ground that^a bridge would suit all the requirements of the department. By contracing the width of the ' proposed subway one foot (making it six feet wide) they might be able to reduce the cost by about £150, but- the department was against ■narrow subways. So far as the convenience of the public was concerned, he did not see much differenco between going Up over a bridge and down into a subway, and if tho slopes of tho bridge were made, say, 1 in 10, he thought that would meet the convenience of every one. At this stage Mr Ryan, objected to the whole proposal, as tying the members' hands, and jeopardising, the chance of getting money spent on the county Toads. The Chairman thought Mr Ryan was talking "nonsense." . . Mr Hall explained that tho monies would come out of ...separate votes, and the ono would not affect the .other. , In reply . to Mr Gurr Mr Hall said that he could make practically certain of getting a bridge if tho peoglo would accept it. Mi^-Spence. said he had -noticed a marked change of front on the .part of the Chamber on this question, as at one time the proposal for a foot bridge would not have been entertained at all. Personally he fplt that the subway wns the, right thing for Dannevirke, _but of course it could not be got without so»ie little sacrifice on the part of the public. Ho would like to know if the Council could not fiiid the diffeience required. He was sine tho ratepayers would not object to the small tax that would bo- required to make up the amount needed. . ; ; . The Chai rman pointed o ■ t that the ■■ objection, to tho bridge; had beeir the steps, but now it was proposed ; to build a bridge without steps, having long sloping approaches instead,, which was a very different matter. Mr Ransom said he hoped Mr Hall understood that they would prefer, tohave no bridge if it was to be a ladder bridge. : ■■ ■ '. Mr Hall said the Chamber had asked.for a subway or in the alternative a bridge. Adiscussion then arose as to whether the Government would let a contract for tlie subway, as Mr Rathbone expressed the opinion that if the work was done by contract, it would be done for much less than £1100. Mr Hall thought the Government might tender for the work. Finally, it was resolved to thank Mr Hall for his attendance, and to express the opinion that a bridge with sloping approaches would be satisfactory. The meeting then adjourned.