KAITAIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Northland Age, Volume 19, Issue 32, 10 November 1921, Page 6

KAITAIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

GENERAL MEETING. A meeting of the ICaitaia Chamber of Commerce was held in the Public Library on Monday evening, Mr. Allen Bell presiding. There was an attendance of about fifteen or sixteen, including members and tlie general public. A considerable amount of correspondence was read by the President. In connection with Mr. E. W. D. Matthews’ letter re flooding of his property through drainage works, it was resolved to appoint a sub-committee to view the property, and consult with the Drainage Engineer in the matter.

The Land Board has resolved to give due weight to the representations in connection with the reservation of forest areas, Herekino and Pukepoto.

Re Motutangi swamp and' the suggestion to cut it up for returned soldiers: — The Chief Drainage Engineer estimates the cost of the work at £15,000, which the present financial stringency will not justify the spending of. R.S. Pensions.—The Chamber endorsed the action of the President in supporting the claims of the R.S.A.

Hon. Gordon Coates wrote thanking the Chamber for its support of his proposed National Highways scheme. He could not, however, see his way to altering the proposed Northern terminal from Kaitaia. In connection with the soil survey of the North, it was intimated that Mr. Paterson, of the Department, is coming North and will be in the district for some time.

The action taken in connection with the Far North mail service was explained.

It was resolved on the motion of Mr. Holder, seconded by Mr. Panther, that the actions of the President between the last and the present meeting be endorsed. The scheme and action taken in connection with W hangape development were explained at length, along the lines already published. Proposed by Mr. Holder, seconded by Mr. Banks, that President be accorded the Chambers’ appreciation for his action.

The resolutions carried at a meeting of the Herekino Ratepayers’ Association, which have already appeared in our columns, were explained at length, and (where this was necessary) endorsed by the Chamber of Commerce. On the motion of Mr. Holder rt was resolved that the Chamber again urge on the Postal Department the importance of establishing telephonic communication between Herekino and Broadwood, in order to link up Kaitaia with the Hokianga. Mr. L. H. Bell brought up the matter of the continuous telephone service as dealt with in another column, and produced correspondence and a requisition for signature. On his motion, seconded by Mr. Holder, it was resolved that the requisition be circulated for signature. At the conclusion of the general business a discussion took place on the question of Meat Flour. This is reported in another portion of our space. EXECUTIVE MEETING. Present: —The President (Mr. Allen Bell) in the chair, Messrs W. R. Grigg, S and F. Holder, C. E. Scott, F. B. Rowej L. H. Bell, Panther, F. Banks. The President asked the Chamber to endorse his action in replying to the remarks of the Age on the Chamber. In moving a motion approving of the President’s action in replying to the Age Mr. Panther said he had been hurt by the Press strictures. Perhaps the Chamber had not done as much as had been expected of it, but the members had put in long and hard work, without pay or price, and to a certain extent without appreciation: He had been on the Council for some years, and the Chamber of Commerce had brought before that body many excellent schemes, which had, almost without exception, been adopted. Pie was sorry the Press had seemed to throw cold water on their efforts. The editor had not been long in the district, and m*tst have received his information secondhand. All they had done had been in the best interests of the community. He would like to see the Chamber and the Press work in accord.

Mr. flolder, very briefly, seconded the motion endorsing the President’s action. He thought the Press had been rather hard on the Chamber. Members of the Chamber had devoted a great deal of time to the work, and he believed every member had acted conscientiously, and in the best interests of the district.

Mr. Bell said that no harm ’would be done by the Press criticism: it would place the Chamber in the limelight. Every movement of any consequence for the past seven years had been introduced by the Chamber. The motion was carried.