NOTES FROM TE AWAMUTU.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19119, 10 September 1925, Page 6

NOTES FROM TE AWAMUTU.

THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] TE AWAMUTU. Wednesday. The St. John's Ladies' Guild Flower and Bulb Show was opened to-day. There is a very fine exhibit of all classes of seasonable blooms, chief of which are narcissi. The championships in both cup and trumpet na-cissi were secured by Mr. Frank Penn, of Cambridge. Among other prominent winners were Mrs. Dawson, Mr. E. James (Cambridge), Mesdames Wallace, Storey, Oliphant and Bowden. The following officers were elected at the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce:—President, Mr. R. A. Coynej vice-president, Mr. D. McArthur; secretary, Mr. G. O. Jourdain; auditor, Mr. A. G. Warburton; council, Messrs. C. G. Downes, A. G. Weatherell, H. Andrew, T. Mclnnes, S. Clark, J. Oliphant, D. Bockett. On his retirement after over 10 years as secretary, Mr. Warburton was unanimously elected a life member. The financial position is satisfactory, the assets being £IOO, with no liabilities. The Railway Board has intimated to the Chamber of Commerce that it cannot accede to the request for a warning signal at the Alexandra Street level crossing owing to the unsuitability of the electrical apparatus now adopted for crossings close to congested railway yards. If a manu-ally-operated signal were provided tlhe risk of accident would not be minimised as wayfarers would rely on the warning being given and the human element was too unreliable. The chamber is making fresh representations, pointing out that the schedule of new works adopted a year ago provided for the long-promised new railway station and yards being put in "hand six years hence. The chamber decided to vote £2O toward the cost of publishing a booklet descriptive of the town and district, it being considered that in view of the Dunedin Exhibition the time was opportune to issue a comprehensive booklet for distribution free.

Reference was made to the ten'acre block purchased in the town some years ago by the education authorities for a technical high school with residential quarters. The opinion was expressed that a junior high school was more in demand than a technical high school and inquiry is to be made as to the prospects, the chamber assuring the School Committee of support in its negotiations.