CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 23 April 1926, Page 7

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

IS IT DEAD ?

SUGGESTIONS FOR REVIVIFICATION. Strong comment regarding the lack of interest shown by members in the activities of the Hawera Chamber of Commerce was expressed last evening at the quarterly meeting. The president (Mr. E. Dixon) instanced the fact that although the executive had taken the trouble to arrange an informal dinner as a prelude to the quarterly meetings, and members had been twice circularised, only IS of almost 50 attended. He said he had felt that lbr some time the Chamber had not been the live body it should have been, and he was not satisfied that it was doing all the work that it might do. He declared that he considered something should be done to create interest for the members outside of the executive, and as a suggestion he would propose that a number of sub-committees, each consisting of a number of members and a member of the executive, should be set up. These committees would each deal with a special branch of the work brought before the Chamber. The committee would discuss the matters brought before it very fully, and the chairman or convenor (a member of the executive) would report to the executive. This, he thought, would create interest for the members not on the executive, who had no other opportunity of attending meetings except the quarterly ones, and would widen the sphere of the Chamber’s usefulness. In the United States of America the Chambers of Commerce took a wide outlook generally of municipal work. While the Chambers did not actually take over the work, they acted in conjunction with the municipal authorities Town planning was one of the questions on which the Chamber could give its assistance. Entertainment of visitors wa.s another branch in which its activities could well be enlarged. At present it was the businesss of anybody or nobody to conduct visitors around the town, to show them the historic spots surrounding, and generally to entertain them.

Mr. W. G. Walkley said that the Chamber had a reputation of being dead. Whether it was so or not he was not prepared to say, but the fact that the executive had been energetic or original enough to arrange a dinner, which only 18 members had attended, was quite expressive. It was a shocking thing that at a time when trade was not good only a few members showed themselves to be interested in the work. Members should make a point of attending meetings in the interest of their business. Practically no entertainment of visitors was at-tempted-in Hawera, and this was not good for the district. There was a universal feeling that a time of deflation, if not exactly depression, was approaching, and this was a time when the Chamber should take more interest in the district. Beyond stirring up the Railway and Postal Departments the Chamber had done very little. He would suggest the inauguration of a trade committee.' the duty of which would be to endeavour to find means for stimulating business. Air. F W. Horner said that there was one distinct value to the chairman’s suggestion. Very little correspondence was brought before the Chamber, excepting circulars and applications from other bodies for support. It should De the duty of committees to bring up matters of interest for discussion by the executive. Air. Dixon said he thought members should be supplied with an order paper, for at present members did not know what business was pending until the actual meeting. Mr. Fletcher supported this suggestion. He said that matters were often brought up quite unexpectedly, and members had considerable difficulty in dealing with a question at such stun. notice. The idea of smaller committees was an excellent one. He would also suggest a Parliamentary Committee. There was frequently important legislation before the House to which a great deal of publicity was given, but beyond the work of the Wellington Chamber nothing was done to protect the interests of the various districts. At a time of deflation the Chamber should be working- at high pressure, and it was disappointing to find that it was not.

Mr. P. Bond said he was in hearty accord -with the chairman’s suggestion, and remarked that it was a matter in which he (the speaker) took a keen interest. He had originally suggested an amalgamation of the Retailers’ Association and the Chamber, hut this had been found impossible to arrange. Still, he felt that Hawera was too small a community to be divided, and it was a great pity that the two bodies had not joined forces. On looking around the table he said it would be realised that the majority of members of the Chamber represented the professional class, ■ and he thought that it would be the finest thing possible for those actively engaged in trade and the employment of artisans to be properly represented with the professional side of the community. The getting together and the exchange of views would be for the mutual benefit of the two classes. The present position of the Chamber pointed to' something bein'p- lacking. The executive had done a great deal for the benefit of trade, but unless backed hv remainder of the members it was impossible to do the good that the Cham, her aimed at. He would suggest that the correspondence should, on receipt by the secretary, be distributed among the various committees for action.

Mr. Walklev suggested that as few members knew that any suggestions for the good of the Chamber were to be made, another meeting should be held in a week’s time. Mr Horner considered that a small committee .should he appointed to suggest committees, and Mr. Walklev moved in that direction.

Mr. Douglas suggested that disgruntled members who considered that the Chamber had done nothing should bring forward the matters that they considered required attention. He was sure that the executive had done its best with the .subjects brought under its notice.

Mr. Horner said that the executive was certainly open to criticism, and it was not sufficient for it to' do merely the things put before it. As a successful man’ did not merely accept such business as came to him, but went after more business, so should the Chamber look for opportunities for community service. The motion moved by Mr. Walklev and .seconded by Mr. Horner was then carried, and a sub-committee was appointed as follows: Messrs Dixon, Walklev, Horner, Douglas and Bond.

It was decided that a. meeting, preceded by a dinner, should he held next Thursday evening, and that an order paper should he put before members. It was also decided to invite members of the Retailers’ Association to be present.