FEILDING NEWS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 207, 31 July 1928, Page 8

FEILDING NEWS

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

(Special to “Standard.”) FEILDING, July 31. The monthly meeting of tho Feilding Chamber of Commerce was held last night, Air P. B. Desmond presiding. Also present were Alossrs G. Ivelvington, J. S. Tingcy, V. E. Smith, Lawson, T. S. Goldsmith, A. J. Humphreys, C. S. Jeffs and G. Fitzox t en ded a weloomo to the meeting to Air Lawson, tlio newly appointed stationmastor at Feilding, who briefly replied. _ CORRESPONDENCE.

From tho Wanganui Chamber of Commerce stating that as the country was now returning to a better state of prosperity tho time was opportune for reversion to tho penny stampage on both cheques and receipts, and also that it was also its intention to forward the matter in thd form of a remit to the next conference of tho Associated Chambers of Commerce.—ln moving that tho local chamber support the movement, tho chairman said that it was not generally known that tho Government collected 6d in revenue in the posting of a cheque for over £2. There was twopence stampage on both the cheque and. receipt and a penny postage each way. —With very little discussion on the matter it was decided to support the Wanganui Chamber’s action. From tho Feilding Borough Council advising that steps wero boing taken to have tho Apiti-Norsewood Road, opened as a moans of providing work for tho_ unemployqd during tho winter, and asking the chamber to support' any action being taken. —Air Fitzpatrick stated that Air J. G. Eliott, M.P., had already interested himsolf in tho project and had ascertained from the engineers of tho Public Works Department that a road _ through the Pohangina Gorge was quite a practicable step and was also ono that was favoured by tho department.—The chairman said he understood that tho construction _ of. tho road did not present any great engineering difficulties, and if tho road was mado out of Government money there should not bo any drain on the funds of the riding in tho Pohangina County Council through which the road ran. —In advocating that the chamber move quickly in the matter Air Smith said that the opening of the road would provo of inestimablo value to this district and also to tho greater part of tho Hawke’s Bay. Tho Alanawatu . Gorge Road was proving inadequate to moot tho demands of the" traffic, particularly in regard to stock 'movcmcirs, and besides tho speaker had been gb on to understand that any action which was taken now would havo tho support of Sir George Hunter, AI.P., and also of the Norsowood Town Board which had written to tho Feilding Borough Council pointing out tho value of tho opening of tho road.— Aftor " further discussion on the matter, it was decided, on the motion of Air Smith, to support any action tli3t would lead to tho Government making a road through the gorge. AUTOAIATIC TELEPHONE. In discussing the question of tho installation of an automatic telephone service, in Feilding Air Tingey spoke strongly against the practice of the department in giving information on topical matters per medium of tho telephone operator. He thought that tlio installing lof tho automatic system would obviate this happening, and in the interests of business he thought that it t. r as time a change was mado in the local system. Air Fitzpatrick pointed out that Alarton was having the automatic system installed and lie considered it timo that Feilding pressed its claims for the system. Air Kilvington, postmaster, stated that if tho members of the chamber could see the present exchange at Alarton they would understand tho action of tho department. Tho plant was absolutely obsolete anti sooner than maintain it and put in extensions the department, had very wisely decided to “scrap” it. As far as the Feilding system was concerned, Air Kilvington proceeded, it was ono of the most modern of the manual systems, and when tho department carried out a certain amount of overhauling and reconditioning, ho thought that thero would be no : room for complaint.

The meeting decided, however, to renew its application for the installing of the automatic system in Feilding, principally on the ground of the time that would be saved in toll connections. POLICE PATROL. It was decided to make application to tho sergeant of police to so arrange the local police patrols that the town would be served the whole 24 hours instead of there being no patrol from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. as at present. ALLEGED THEFT OF CYCLE. Before Mr E. H. Fisher, J.P., at a special sitting of tho Police Court this morning, Ray Littlejohn, a farm hand, aged 19, was charged with tho theft of a push l bicycle, valued at £lO, the property of Georgo Hodges, of Taonui. On tho application of the police a remand was granted till next court day, accused being admitted to bail and ordered to report to the 'police every day. ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY. Mr F. H. Stockwell presided over the usual meeting of tho council of the Fcilding and District Acclimatisation Society last night. On tho motion of the chairman, it was decided to forward to Mr T. Boness, late hon. ranger to tho society, a letter expressing the council’s appreciation of his services. It was'decided to inform the Wellington Society that the local society could not agree to its request to prohibit worm fishing in tho Rangitikoi River. It was stated that tho move would not do any good as tho number of ..worm fishers in the Ilangitikei was very small and their efforts did not reduce the fish in the river to any great oxtont; also that worm fishers did a certain amount of good owing to the number of eels that thoy caught and by tho removing of a certain amount of jackfish, which ciould be caught by no other bait and were a menace to the young fish in tho stream. It was also considered that tho prohibiting of worm fishing in the Rangitikei would create a numerous band of potential poachers and would alao cause a considerable loss of revenue to tho societies concerned.

After a discussion on the question .of retrogression of. fishing in the Rangitikei River, it was decided to bring under the notice of the Wellington Socioty. tho following reasons why the local society considered this had been brought about: —(1) The prevalence of eels; (2) the amount of poaching; (3) tho stocking of tho river with fry which was unsuitable to a river of this class owing to the shifting lof the shingle bed; (4)' the netting which goes on at the mouth of tho river for a couple of miles up and the pollution whioh is being permitted. It was decided to authorise tho ranger in the Apiti district to cull doer. Tho action of Mr P. P. Stevens in purchasing eight pheasants for the society was endorsed. It was decided to liberate tho 55 birds tho society now has at various points in tho district.