FOXTON NEWS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 176, 26 June 1926, Page 10

FOXTON NEWS

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. ANNUAL MEETING. [From Our Own Correspondent.] , The annual meeting of the Foxton Chamber of Commerce was held on Thursday night. Mr A. E. Admore presiding. The report concerning the year’s transactions was adopted. It stated inter alia that the aommittee made application to the Minister of Railways to get all the coal used by the Railway Department brought through the local port, but-the application did not meet with success. The committee was successful however, in procuring a public telephone box outside the Post Office, together with a penny stamp-selling machine. Application was made to the Minister of Justice requesting that a now courthouse be built to replace the existing one, but so far no success in this direction could be reported. A successful application was made to the Railway Department to run * special trains from Palmerston North to Foxton on Sundays, but the mode of transit from the Foxton station to the Heads and back seemed to be the factor that did not make for the success of the suggestion. Application was also made’to the Railway Department requesting that it build a railway line from Foxton to the Heads, and the committee believed that this will be an accomplished 'fact before long. The balance-sheet showed a credit balance of £2 10s 2d, receipts totalling £l4 6s 8d and expenditure £ll 16s 6d. The president complimented the chamber on its work during the past year, which he considered was very satisfactory. The election of officers resulted as follows: President, Mr J. K. Hornblow; vicepresident, Mr D. Christie; committee, Messrs Christie, Woods, Winstanley, Rimmer, McMurray, Admore, Chrystall, H. Osborne, Smith, Mason, Barron, Pearson, the Mayor and member for the district exofficio; secretary, Mr R. Hornblow;. treasurer, Mr J. Ross; auditor. Mr S. H. Poole; finance committee, Messrs H. Osborne, Winstanley, Christie. It was decided that tho local stationmas>»r and postmaster be elected honorary members. A vote of thanks was accorded Mr F. Rimmer for his duties ns secretary during the past year. Mr H. Osborne suggested that the Borough Council be asked to improve the main approaches to the town. Traffic was now being diverted down side streets owing to tho bad condition of the main roads. Mr McMurray reported that the matter had received attention at a meeting of the public works committee that night. Shortage of metal had been the councils trouble in the past. ’Mr Christie congratulated the Borough Council on the result of Wednesday poll and moved a vote of congratulations to the Borough Council for tho prompt steps they had taken for the replacement of the Town Hall. The motion wa3 carried unanimously. The meeting night was fixed for the last Thursday in each month. Mr Barron brought before the chamber the fact that the mail for the South Island closed at 1.15 p.m. daily and that this left no time for correspondence arriving by the noon mail to be answered so as to catch the return mail. Mr H. Osborne also suggested that the Wellington mnil should, close at 5.45 a.m. daily instead of 8 p.m. It was decided that these two matters be placed before the postmaster by a deputation consisting of Messrs Winstanley, Barron, Osborne and Christie. On the motion of Mr MoMurray it was decided that a letter of appreciation bo forwarded the General Manager of Railways for having the proposed railway line to the beach surveyed, and that the desire be expressed that the work of laying down the line be completed before the summer season. At the conclusion of business the chamber was entertained to refreshment by the president. TEACHER FAREWELLED. A pleasing function took place at tho local District High School, when teachers and scholars assembled to farewell Miss D. Browning, fifth assistant, who leaves for England early next month. Mr F. Mason, headmaster, in asking Miss Browning to accept a New Zealand travelling rug as a mark of esteem from the school, eulogised tho faithful and conscientious services of the departing teacher, whose departure they all, sincerely regretted. He also referred to Miss Browning’s activities in forming the Girl Guides, and extended to her on behalf of the scholars and staff their best wishes for her future happiness and prosperity. Miss Browning feelingly acknowledged the good wishes expressed and sincerely thanked them fior the token of their warmth and esteem. Cheers were heartily given for Miss Browning by the scholars. FORMING FOOTPATHS. The works committee of the council has decided to form and metal the footpaths in the following streets: Union, Cook and Cloley streets, Avenue road and Thynne street. Ratepayers and married men are to be given preference of employment at the award rate of wages. The Town Clerk reported to the meeting of the committee that he had that day received £I9OO towards tha loan for this purpose and another £IOOO was promised for the following day. He also reported that tho contractor had commenced sending the, metal for the roads and would continue doing so at the rate of three to four trucks per day.

FIRE BOARD’S ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of tho Foxton Fire Board was held on Friday, thero being present: Messrs F. G. Cray (chairman), H. Filmor, A. FI. Clarko, M. E. Perreau, J. K. Flornblow, F. Woods Walker and the seoretary (Mr It. Rangihuea). Superintendent Downes was also in attendance. The chairman extended a welcome back to the board to Mr J. K. Hornblow after his trip abroad. In moving that Mr Cray bo re-elected chairman of tho board, Mr Hornblow said that tho local members all recognised the great sacrifices Mr Cray had made during his term as chairman and thoy wore deeply indebted to him for his efforts in that connection. It would be to the advantage of the board to re-elect Mr Cray as chairman, as he had had considerable experience in fire board matters.

Mr Perreau, in seconding tho motion, also made oulogistio reference to Mr Cray’s ability. Mr Cray, in thanking the speakers for their references to him said that ho had oome to tho meeting that day determined to ask his colleagues to release him from offioo. He was now a member of the Wellington Fire Board, and that office involved a good deal of work. If re-olccted, he said, this would be his last term of office on the Foxton Board. The motion wan carried by acclamation. The superintendent’s annual report recorded that the brigade had attended seven calls, including four rubbish fires, one outside the borough limits. Two buildings were totally destroyed. All the plant had been overhauled by the deputy-superinten-dent and himself, and was in good working order. The number of members of the brigade wae 14 and one messenger. In speaking of tho estimates for tho coming year, the chairman said he regrotted that he could not suggest any appreciable reduction in the amount. The board would have to be in existence for about five years before any noticeable reduction could bo made in this direction. He was very anxious to soo the estimates reduced for the sake of the Borough Council as well as the other contributing bodies. The estimates for the yoar 1926-27 were considered at length and after careful consideration the total arrived at was £5lO Mr Woods reported tl}at ho already had eight names to hand of persons prepared to act as fire police. The chairman said that fire police were a vory desirable institution. Ho was pleased to see that Mr Woods had the matter in hand. The chairman expressed regret that the coronial inquiry in connection with the Town Hall fire had not been successful. If the hall had been deliberately fired those who did it should have been punished. Ho was in favour of an inquiry after every fi ro Accounts amounting to £96 16s lid were passed for payment.