FEILDING CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 198, 23 May 1928, Page 6

FEILDING CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

CLOSER SETTLEMENT IN DISTRICT. Feilding. May 22. The matter of improving Feilding as a business centre was discussed at last night's meeting of the Chamber of Commerce. when it was stated that there were several large properties adjacent to the town which, if cut up, would carry a much greater population. Mr. V. E. Smith said something in the' direction was being done, and he had forwarded to the Government a petition, signed by 500, asking the Government to acquire 800 acres al “Westellii” for closer settlement. If the Government could come to terms over the matter thejand could be cut up into small blocks of about 50 acres, and so maintain a larger number of families. Mr. .Smith stated also that the Minister of Lands and the Crown Lands Commissioner had recently inspected the property, and he expected to hear more about the matter. In view of this information the committee decided to go no further in the matter in the meantime.

The chamber decided nlso to approtteh the Fire Underwriters’ Association with a request that it consider the insurance rates in Feilding with a view to making a reduction.

The chairman (Mr. P. B. Desmond) pointed out that the fire loss in Feilding tor the last three years had been £4950 16s. 7d., an average of £1650 per year. These figures, he said, showed that the fire risk in Feilding was small, and that a request for a reduction in rates was reasonable.

Regarding the matter of stopping the Limited Express at Feilding. the general opinion of the meeting was that the best procedure would be for a deputation to wait on the new general manager of railways (Mr. H. 11. Sterling), when he was settled in offices