Formation Kaitaia Retailer’s Association

Northland Age, Volume 5, Issue 23, 6 March 1936, Page 3

Formation Kaitaia Retailer’s Association

A representative meeting of retailers in Kaitaia was held on Monday, Mr. J. Thornton, president of the Kaitaia Chamber of Commerce, being in the chair.

As some members of the previouslyelected Retailers’ Committee had resigned, it was decided to form a new committee altogether, with the president (Mr. J. Thornton) and secretary (Mr. W. F. Berry) of the Chamber of Commerce acting as chairman and secretary respectively of the Com- . mittee. All present agreed to join Hfc an Association to be called the Kaitaia Retailers’ Association, and to abide by the decision of the committee of that Association. The following committee was then elected : Messrs. G. Rickard, A. G. Horsley, P. Yendell, M. Hammond and f" D. Rutledge, together with the chairf man and secretary. It was decided that the annual subscription to the Association be 2/6. It was also decided that any complaints must be . submitted to the committee in writing. As a recommendation to the committee it was suggested that adequate notice be given of any decisions in regard to holidays or hours for closing of shops, so that customers will not be inconvenienced. The need for the fullest support and co-operation of all the business firms in Kaitaia for the Association was stressed by the chairman, whose remarks were supported by other speakers. Mr. A. E. Hollay, secretary of the Kaitaia School Committee, then addressed the meeting asking for the business firms’ co-operation in connection with the school picnic that it was suggested to hold on Thursday, sth inst. He asked that business premises be closed on that day and that the outing be made an annual fixture as a picnic for the whole of the townspeople as well as the schoolchildren. Mr. Hollay also requested assistance for the committee in the way of funds for the picnic and conveyances to transport the children to the beach. Opportunity was also taken by the president, Mr. J. Thornton, and vicepresident, Mr. G. Rickard, to bring before the business people the work that the Chamber of Commerce was doing for the town and district, and the need for the whole-hearted support of all the business people of Kaitaia. The Chamber was out to develop the town and in its efforts it needed the support, by way of membership, of all the business firms. The annual conference of the North Auckland Associated Chambers of Commerce would be held in Kaitaia this year, probably in April, and the local Chamber desired a full membership for this occasion as at the conference there would be about 50 delegates from all parts of the North and possibly representatives of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. Such a conference was an advertisement for Kaitaia which the town could not afford to pass by ; but to ' get the fullest benefit from the conference all business firms should be members of the local Chamber of Commerce. A vote of thanks was accorded Mr. G. Foster for the use of his room for the meeting. f Meeting of Committee After the general meeting a meeting of the newly-elected committee was held. It was decided that for Show day (Saturday) the shops

would not close for any period during the afternoon, but that an opportunity would be given the members of the staffs of the various firms to attend the Show. Regarding the school picnic, it was decided that owing to the opening of the Waipapakauri aerodrome last Thursday and the Show on Saturday, the School Committee be requested to alter the day of the picnic from this Thursday, sth inst., as suggested, to Thursday, 12th inst., and that if this were done the shops would close at 9.45 on that morning. For the convenience of customers it was considered that the shops should not close all that day but open for a short time in the morning. * In regard to financially assisting the School Committee with the picnic, it was decided that a subscription be circulated, Messrs. A. Horsley and P. Yendell offering to take charge of this. This was on condition that the School Committee circularised the parents of the schoolchildren for financial assistance. Various other questions affecting the retailers of the town were briefly touched on, and it is hoped that at a later meeting various policy matters will be fully discussed for reporting to a full meeting of retailers.