WHANGAREI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Northern Advocate, 25 November 1914, Page 4

WHANGAREI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

THE ANNUAL MEETING,

The annual meeting of the Whangarei Chamber of Commerce was held last night, the' president (Mr D. W. Jack) being in the chair. ANNUAL REPORT. The following presidential report on the operations for the year was read:— To the Members.; —The president has pleasure in presenting to you the following annual report, and statement of receipts and expenditure for the year ending 31st October, 1914. Meetings.—During the year twelve general meetings have been held but I am sorry to say have been but poorly attended. Membership.—The list of members now stands at 63, which is a discrease on last yea:-, but is accounted for by the fact that several members have left the district and others resigned. . Finance. —The statement of receipts and payments as audited shows total receipts for the year as £92 8k which,' together with the balance of £ 14 12s 7d brought forward from la_l year, shows a total of £107 0s 7d. The expenditure totalled £50 2_ ' 1 d lca i ___,' a balance in the bank, and in hand of £ 56 1.7s 8d and ther e are no outstanding liabilities. In ci-unection with- the finance 1 have pleasure in stating that the arrears in subscriptions for the year ending 1913 are now only £12 Is 6d and for th e period ending 1914, £8 8s making a total of only £20 9s 6d which results constitute a record for tliis Chamber. Post and Te. phone Services. — Members will be pleased to note that during the past year the Chamber has been successful in securing additional mail services direct to verious outlying districts,. These services have been obtained direct from Whangarei, and are bi-weekly (Maungaturoto, Parua Bay, Maunu and Waipu). We have also been successful in having a postal box erected at Maunu, which is cleared three* times a week. The total number of subscribers to the telephone exchange, as at September 30, 1914 stood at 366, which includes 36 bureau stations and 36 party lines (with a total number of 123 subscribers). Since that date the membership ha s greatly increased and three new exchanges have been opened, viz: Waipu, Hikurangi and Maungaturoto. The metallic circuit bet ween. Whangarei and Waipu has also been completed. The establishment of (he continuous telephone service has been greatly appreciated by the residents.of Whangarei and also those of the outlying ■ districts. Your Chamber has also received word from the Telegraph Department that the' metallic circuit will be established in Whangarei at an early date. Railway Returns and Extension of Lines. —Members will be pleased to note that th e contract which was let, some time ago for the construction of the first four miles of the connecting link of the Main Trunk line is now well under way,, and in addition to which approximately 100 men are now employed under Government supervision in construction work from Mangapai onwards. The main line from- Kaiwaka to Otamatea is now completed and running, and a coach service connects Maungaturoto with Otamatea and Bickerstaffe until the completion of. the tunnel at the latter place, which completion

.should shorty be accomplished. The line from Maungaturoto northwards iei now well in Land, and is well on towards .McCarrol's Gap. Quite re- jH cently the line from Otiria to Kai-\ koiie was taken over by the Railway i Department and officially opened by the Prime Minister, and there are now six trains weekly, two days a, week one train each way, and two /.i.ys a week two trains each way, on this section, which are of great service to the districts. The railway returns for the year ended March 31, 1913, show a considerable increase in every department. The total revenue from vie Onerahi-Opua line was £42,720, and the expenditure £31,1'!?,. _'■_ returns for the past ten years are appended:— Twelve Months, March 31, Pas-sen- . gers Carried.—l9os, 77,760; 1906, 82 ? - ( 390; 1907, 86,474; 1908, 91,851; 1909, 93,183; 1910, 89,902; 1.1.1, 97,084; 1912, 105,306; 1913, 127,960; 1914, 119,798. Twelve Months, March -31, Timber, Superficial Feet, Bulk and Sawn.— 1905, 13,954,950: IOOC, 14,500,0430; 1907, 13,940,000; 1908, 17,99.,600; 1909,16,----610,400; 1910, 10,.">94,500; 1911, 7,691,----400; 1912, 8,051,300;. 1913, 14,977,700; 1914, 20,475,600. Twelve Months, March 31, Minerals, Tons.—l9os, 85,073; 1906, 96,090; 1907,, 98,871; 1908, 112,318; 1909, 108,088; 1910, 105,348; 1911, 117,687; 1912, 115,----378; 1913, 108,143; 1914, 103,980. Twelve Months' Revenue, March 31. » —1905, £24,860; 1906, £25,653; 1907, ■ '£26,974; 1908, £30,566; 1909, £30, "430; 1910, £|28,386; 1911, £29,393; | 1912, £36,462; 1913, £44,410; 1914, £42.720. Revenue per Mile.—l9os, £1081; 1906,£1115; 1907, £1170; 1_05,£1320; 1909, £1325; 1910, £1231; 1311,£1101; 1912, £|645; 1913, £714;'1914, £736." ■Expenditure per Mile.—l9os, £413; 1906, £477; 1907, £492; 1908, £532; 1909, £550; 1910; £513; 1911, £527; • 1912, £498; 1913, £530; 1914, £536. ■Cement. —The erection of the works and electric power pliant of -the newLyformed Cement Company are being pushed forward rapidly and according to the latest report.of the Company's engineer the electric power line should be completed ..and- connected up with Whangarei on to contract time. This new Company should be of great benß_ ■ fie to the district generally for even at ' the present time it is pro.'ding work ' for a great number of hands in the erection of 'buildings and plant. Dairying.-—During the past year this ; industry has in'ade a steady and satisi' factory progress, and provided we do not get another serious drought, this • season should prove an exceptional s one, and gives promise of a large in- • crer_e In the near future. Freezing Works.—The new CoW ... pany that has taken o\ er the works at s the Whangarei Head_ has exported a i considerable quantity of nieat during ; the past-season, which has proved of great benefit to the district.. i Municipal Improvements and Exten- • siens —To a great extent the present 1 war has overshadowed . the wor_ of i local bodies, but despite this fact there i. are some items which may be brought under the notice of members. The. waterworks loan has been s'uei cessfully arranged _o)r with Advances ! to Docal Bodies Department, and the i cOntiact for the erection of the reserl, voir and construction of the pipe line i has been let. The pipes aire already ! here and mostly on the track line, aftd :. it is expected that the new water sup- , ply will be available •by the beginning i of next summer. The loan, tor the ex- >■ tension.of the drainage,to the hospital s and Hora Hora school has been ar- • ranged for, plans drawn, arid contract [ wlii be let shortly, and it is confidently * i expected that this long looked-for and [ necessary work will Ibe completed at ■ r:i early date. The Hospital Board has decided to contribute £1500 towards - the cost. ) •.■■ V """"" N \ The new fejrro-concrete 'bridge ove|J(P ■ Lie .v.larchia stream, has' been conr- . pleted and opened and is- another ex- . ample of the foresight of Whangarei's ( Council in making all new works of a . permanent nature. Parks. —During fhe year a park was generously donated to the public of Whangarei by IVDr Robert Mair, which provides another breathing space and , beauty spot for. the residents of the town and will be increasingly appreciated as the population grows and-the town becomes more closely built upon. The Borough Council has purchased 7 acres of land from Mir Horn to enable them to connect up'Mair and Dobbie parks, and contemplate shortly to bridge the river by the parks and thus give the public an easy access to these valuable grounds. Election of Officers.—The following- officers were elected:—President, Mr H. C. Rich worth; vice-president, Mr J ,E. ..olmes; committee, Messrs F W. Reed, A. R. Crane, D. W. Jack, G. Marshall, S. J. McCormick, J. E. Holmes, A McLeod, A. L. Hempton. Auditor, Mr H. W. Briggs.