CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Manawatu Times, Volume XLXI, Issue 3480, 14 December 1926, Page 3

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

ANNUAL MEETING TO-NIGHT. The annual meeting of the Feilding Chamber of Commerce is to be ■ held this evening at the Borough Council Chambers. The annual report places on record the Chamber’s regret at the death of the. late Hr. Norman Gorton and Mr. Fred. Pirani, and proceeds to review the activities of the past year. During the past year the commercial life of the Dominion has not been as prosperous as we could have de- , sired. Over-importations, especially of luxuries, and a decline in the value of our primary products, had a depressing effect on business generally, and the heavy weight of taxation which the country has to carry has continued to hinder enterprise and to hold (back the development of the country. Present indications are not bright, there being a serious fall in the price of dairy produce, a.nd prices for meat and wool are below the rates ruling last season. Importers, no doubt, have carefully noted those disturbing facts, and have arranged their forward business commitments accordingly. We stand or fall by the fortunes of the primary producers, and if only for a selfish reason wo sincerely hope that they will shortly oxperi- , ence happier financial conditions. Early in the year it was announced that the United States Government had placed an almost prohibitive tariff on dairy produce from New Zealand, and as this was a question which largely affected our district, the committee carefully considered it, and finally decided to make a strong protest to the Minister of Customs of New Zealand. It was suggested that our own Tariff rates on importations from America might be so adjusted aa to impress on the Americans the advisability of giving more consideration to this Dominion. To the Minister of Customs the committee expressed its views, and the reply received stated that the matter would be given consideration when next the tariff was being revised. The committee also forwarded a remit on the matter to the annual conference. Particular attention -was given during the year to charges for electric current made by the ManawatuOroua Power Board. It was found on comparisons being made that most of the surrounding Power Boards were selling current at lower rales than our Board, especially for current used for, power purposes. The Chamber associated itself with the Borough Council in approaching the Power Board and pointing out our position. The Board has virtually promised that reductions will be made in the charges next year. Omission on the part of the Railway Department to make Foilding a stopping place for the additional express trains introduced last year, seriously exercised the minds of the committee. We' felt that every passenger train which passed through Feilding without stopping was offering a slight to the town and district. Every possible effort was made to induce the Railway Department to accept our point of view, but we regret to have to inform members that *wc have met with no success at all. The Department seems to have definitely made up its mind on the matter, and we do not know what further pressure we can bring to bear.

A number of motor accidents in Feilding during the past year helped to remind the community of the necessity for having facilities for the quick ransit of patients to the Palmerston North Hospital. The committee discussed the question at length, and decided to recommend the Hospital Board to secure an ambulance and have it placed in a. local garage, where it could bo always ready for emergency cases. The question has not been finalised. We have arranged for a deputation to wait on the Hospital Board to state our case.

At the annual meeting last year members had the pleasure of hearing the address by Professor B. E. Murphy on the question of Rural Credits. In May last Mr. L. B. Beale, H.M., Trade Commissioner, accepted an invitation to address the members of the Chamber, and spoke at a luncheon on the position of trade in Britain. The report concludes by thanking the Member for the District, Mr. J. Gordon Eliott, M.P., for this enfhusiastic and valuable help on all public matters placed before him by the Chamber.