CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 303, 15 October 1910, Page 5

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Monthly Meeting

The adjourned monthly meeting of Te Kuiti Chamber of Commerce was held last night at the "Chronicle" office, Mr F. H. Sims, president, in the chair.

Railway Station.—Copies of the resolutions passed at last meeting had been sent to Mr Jennings and the Minister of Railways, and were acknowledged by both of them. Rangitoto No. 1 Road.—Mr Burd, district road engineer, wrote that the formation of this road would be put in hand almost immediately. The president said it cost settlers over £4 a ton to get supplies out from Te Kuiti and only £2 4s per ton from Hangatiki, where the formation was better for the road out.

Letter Boxes.—The president reported that the two boxes applied for were now in position.

Bridging Mokau River.—A request for support from the Awakino Farmer's Club led to some discussion. It. was ultimately moved and seconded by Major Lusk and Mr Darrow, "That Te Kuiti Chamber of Commerce, in view of the great inconvenience and loss in swimming or ferrying stock over the Mokau river, earnestly pray the Minister of Roads and Bridges to cause a bridge to be thrown across the river and to remind him that this important work long since promised by his predecessors is the only direct and safe means of connection between Auckland and Taranaki by land." Awakino Valley Road.—A letter from the secretary of the public meeting held at Awakino, asked for support in a petition to the Minister of Public Works for the metalling of this road. The president thought the proposed deviation would be co3tly to form. There was a Jot to be done at either end of the road before that part was reached.

Mr N. B. Lusk thought they should encourage the work. Hatrick had bought stores on the line of the river and was putting boats on it to run as far as Mokauiti. The road would develop traffic in this direction. It was moved by Mr Darrow and seconded by Mr N. B. Lusk, "That this chamber make representations to the Minister of Public Works in regard to a grant for the formation and metalling of the lower Awakino Valley road."—

Carried. New members.—Messrs F. C. Shaw, j. R. Graham, A. D. Spring and Dr Paxton were elected new members.

King Country Rifle Association. — Mr N. B. Luks brought up the question of the proposed meeting to be held at Taumarunui on December 28th and 29th, saying the association should get some support from Te Kuiti in raising the £lO proposed to be given for prize money in the No. 1 match. — Messrs N. B. Lusk and H. W. Atkinson were appointed to gather shilling subscriptions for the fund.

Licensing Bill.—Major Lusk initiated a discussion on the new Bill and said we in the King Country were again specially marked out as black sheep. We had no liberty to say whether we would have licenses or not. It was a ghastly farce voting for continuance, reduction or no - license where we had no option in the whole matter. We could only control one corner of the electorate Waitara. We had the power to close those houses, but had no power to open places, elsewhere. It was high time to protest, and he moved "That the Chamber of Commerce of Te Kuiti learn with deep regret that in the Licensing Bill now before Parliament, special exception is being made in the case of the King Country. This is viewed by the inhabitants generally of the district with great indignation for two reasons: first, because the district is now in no sense a native district* but a thriving white settlement, embracing several rising borough towns, all justly entitled to the privileges of all other districts and towns of the Dominion in the matter of local option, and second because that the right privilege of deciding on the option was admitted more than a year ago by the Hon. the Prime Minister/' Mr W. S. King seconded and said he believed every man should be entitled to record his vote, whether he voted for or against licenses. The King Country was no longer a native area,- but was practically occupied by white people. The president said the meeting of twelve months ago was unanimous in asking for the right to vote. . Mr Nicholls thought the main object of people working for the proposed right was that they would like to see licenses. Still, not all look at things in one light, and he could not blame others for looking at the matter from their point of view. The resolution was carried and copies were instructed to be forwarded to the member for the district and to the Prime Minister. Native Townships Bill.—The president said they had every reason to be gratified. The result of the efforts showed that the Chamber of Commerce had justified its existence. Had it not taken action the Bill would have passed unamended. Members generally agreed and the meeting terminated.