CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Northern Advocate, 5 June 1924, Page 3

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

LAST EVENING'S MEETING. Tho Whangarei Chamber of Commerce met in the Council Chambers last evening, the following members being present —Mr W. Reynolds, president; Lowe, W. H. M. Yarrow, R. W. Whitehead, A. Stubbs, A. R. Crane, L. W. Bagley, A. Provan, S. Weston, N. E. Crimp, B. K. Trimmer, G. Woolley, ,T. Monk, B. B. Miller and E. P. Bamsev, secretary. NEW MEMBER. • The 'chairman welcomed Mr Rowe as a member of the Chamber, and the reception was duly acknowledged. Membership of the Chamber was quoted in reply to a query to be 118. Mr Crane reported that there was seemingly no possible hope of having the request of the Hukerenui A. and P. Association granted that the down train be run early enough to connect with the Auckland express in Whangarei. He explained the technical rcaI sons given by the authorities and which were based upon working of the tablet system. Some meetings ago the Chamber had suggested that a Supreme Court should be formed in Whangarei, and the secretary reported that Mr H. D. Harrison and other local solicitors were of opinion that the time was inopportune for such a. movement. Mr Crimp, however, upheld the affirmative view and he outlined on a map his reasons for that content ion. He asked that the factors of distance and consequent expense be taken into con--1 sideration in dealing with the matter and with a tape measure he clearly indicated the area of North Auckland, without a Supreme Court, with similar sized areas in other parts where there ■were several centres in which sessions ! were held. He had made inquiries about a number of the smaller towns of the Dominion, and Avith that data j as a basis lie outlined what, would be j the likely amount of civil- criminal, and other matters to be dealt with by a Supreme Court, if it were established in Whangarei. The future held forth many conflicts of right, and it was important. that justice be administered speedily both as regards time and place. In an approximately simiiur sized area to that of North Auckland embracing Nelson and West!awl there ■were four supreme courts. Furthermore, the population of North Auck- j j land was many times greater than that lin those districts. In the Southern ? area there were four supreme courts to j cater for considerably less than 100,000 , whereas in North Auckland, including j the city and from an undefiliable area j southwards, there were 1(50,00 0 to be ; catered for by one Supreme ' Court In the face of < facts adduced by 'him, Mr Crimp j contended that it would be difficult for j the Department of Justice to over- j ride an application from the Chamber j for at least one Supreme Court to be j established in Whangarei. Mr Crimp added that with 10 legal practitioners ; in Whangarei the law library at the j Courthouse Avas too small and not up- j to-date. Until there as a Luav Society j formed in Whangarei there Avould be j necessity for an adequate library, md meanwhile references were frequently made to the Auckland Law library through agents. The Courthouse was altogether too small for Whangar'u. j Mr Crimp considered that if tho claim was pressed by the Chamber, it wo'.ild J get a sympathetic hearing from the ! Department of Justice as the institu- } tion of a Supreme Court Avould alleviito I some of the congestion in Auckland. j The time, he considered was right to j move in the direction of haA'ing a ■ j Supreme Court in Whangarei. j Mr Trimmer also spoke in favour of j the contentions submitted by Mr Crimp, j There was, however, to be considered, j the question of Avhether the business ! would pay the Department. What he • Avished to establish Avas the number of cases that went to the Supreme Court from north of Warkworth, and he hoped by next meeting that he Avould have that data. He added that there had been cases of compromise in the North to save the expense of hearing in the Supreme Court in Auckland. Both speakers Avere thanked by the. I president for their explanation of the j claim, and it Avas then decided on the i motion of Mr Trimmer, seconded by Mr A. R. Crane, that further discussion be deferred until next meeting. j