FEILDING NEWS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 273, 17 October 1927, Page 8

FEILDING NEWS

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNUAL REPORT.

Following is the report of the Feeding Chamber of Commerce to be presented at the annual meeting of members next week : iEcoJnomic Conditions.—Economic conditions must • claim our first attention. 1 Business generally during the year has not' been, nearly 60 good ae in past years ow- ' ing to the general depression through which tho Dominion was passing. If trade was dull, Feilding was not alone in that respect. As our town depends upon tho prosperity of the farmers, the lower range of prices for primary produce affected local business. Wool. —Bad weather last spring slightly ailected the weight and quality of the wool clip, but tho good weather later in tho season made up for this. The opening Bales showed that prices were fairly satisfactory, and these were moro than maintained, the range at the March sales being tho best. All through the selling season tho New Zealand prices were above London parity. It will be noticed, therefore, that wool growers maintained a satisfactory position through last season. Prospects for this year are distinctly good, and it is expectod that price's generally will show an increaso of from li to 2d per lb on last year’s averages. Dairy Produce. —Prices for butter and cheese last year wore far from satisfactory. It is not the province of your executive to criticise the policy and methods of the Dairy Control Board, but the evidence seems only too clear that the board’s experiment at price-fixing last year was disastrous. The outlook for this year is very much better. Opening prices for dairy produce are quite satisfactory, and should give a good return to dairy farmers. The commercial houses may look for improved business on this account. Meat.—Last year lamb opened at a satisfactory price, but owing to labour troubles the freezing industry was held up for some time, and the businese community felt tho adverse affect. Mutton did not fotch a profitable price last year, but the prospects for the season about to open are for improved values both for lamb and mutton. Speaking generally, it may bo stated that there are indications for a return to much better economic conditions during 1928.

Personal.—During the past year members of the chamber have personolly felt the weight of the heavy hand of death. In April last lion. D. 11. Guthrie, M.L.C., passed to the Great Beyond after a lengthy illness. The late Mr Guthrie represented our electorate in Parliament for 16 years. lie served his country loyally and well, and his memory deserves high honour. This district was undor a deop obligation to him for many years of faithful work on our behalf. On December 1, last the death took place of Mr W. G. Haybittlc, a pioneer business man and public citizen of Feilding. Mr Haybittle was tho first secretary of this cnamber, he was for two years Mayor of Feilding, a member of the Borough Council for many years, and occupied many prominent positions in Feilding. His death was greatly regretted The Chamber’s Work. —Over the past year the matters which received tho attention of the committee were, as usual, many and varied. Amongst the more important of these tho following may bo mentioned. Community lighting of blocks of business premises was introduced following a canvass made by tho chamber’s representative with the engineer of the Powor Board. An endeavour was made to induce tho Postal Department to install an automatic telephone system in the Feilding exchange, ’lire manual system was not working well, and it was thought Feilding was entitled to have the most up-to-date telephone system, especially as other towns not so large nor so important had the automatic system installed. Wo were not successful in our effort to secure the automatic apparatus, but the department had improvements made in " the present exchange, and we believe it is now giving general satisfaction. Early in tiro year the chamber appointed a retailers’ committee as a sub-committee of

the chamber This sub-committee arranged and carried out a carnival week in February, which was certainly a pronounced success. The committee has felt for some time that Feilding is entitled to have a motor ambulance stationed here for the quick transit of urgent cases to the Palmerston North Hospital. At present the question is in the capable hands of Mr V. E. Smith, the Feilding representative on tho Hospital Board, and your committee arranged to send a deputation to the Hospital Board to put the case for thi3 improved facility when it is decided that such course will be advisable. . A matter which considerably exercised the minds of the committee during tho year was the new regulation regarding territorial drills. Some months ago the Defence Department removed the resident sergeant-major from Feilding to Palmerston North, and ordered that local territorials should substitute three extra days in camp annually for the weekly half-day and evening parades. This meant that employers were called on to grant additional leave to the employees affected, and that therefor the whole of the military training would be done in the employers’ time. Your committee disagreed with this innovation, and invited other chambers throughout New Zealand to join in a protest. Replies were inconclusive, but the executive of the Associated Chambers of Commerce passed a resolution that part at least of the military training should be done in the employees' time. The Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates paid an official visit to Feilding and the Kiwitea County in June. So far as the chamber was concerned, tho principal matter placed before the Prime Minister was the request that Feilding should be a stopping place for the Limited express trains. On this question tho chamber has been hammering away ever since the inauguration of this service, but we have made no impression on the Minister. It is intended to carry on the agitation. Your president as a deputation asked the Prime Minister to have a satisfactory automatic warning signal placed at the Kimbolton Road railway crossing. Mr Coates promised that this would be done before the end of tho year. During tho year your committee approached the Borough Council with suggestions for a camp site for motorists at Johnston Park. The Fire Board was also respectfully asked to make provision for an improved fire-fighting appliance. In each case the public body concerned was in accord with the views of the chamber and

acted accordingly. Acknowledgments. —It is a real pleasure to acknowledge tho help given the committee at all times by Mr J. G. Eliott, M.P. for Oroua. With Mr Eliott nothing was too large and nothing too small to engage his careful and thorough attention. If the chamber as representing public matters has suffered at the hands of Government departments it has not been the fault of Mr Eliott, who has urged the claims of this district with persisent zeal certainly deserving of success. We take this opportunity of publicly thanking Mr Eliott for his valuable help. To Mr Kilvington, postmaster, we owe thanks for help in all matters relating to his department It has been our usual experience that the postmaster has anticipated the wishes of the committee and has given attention to postal matters where the committee thought deferable without waiting for formal revests To the postal staff our thanks are uuo for courteous and prompt attention to their duties as they affect the business houses of Feilding. We cordially acknowledge the good help given freely at all times by Mr R. C. Stedman,. stationmaster and his staff in the obliging and efficient way in which the railway business of Feilding has been carried out. Our thanks are due to the Borough Council for grantMg the use of the Council Chamber for meetings and for many little courtesies which go to make the work of the chamber pleasant. Acknowledgments are also due to the press for sympathetic attention to the doings of the chamber during the past year.