MEETINGS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 810, 9 September 1887, Page 30

MEETINGS.

THE TOWN CLOCK QUESTION.

MEETING OF THE CHAMBER OF ,£ COMMERCE. A special meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held last night week to consider the question of the erection of a town clock in Wellington. There was a fair attendance, and Mr J. Dutliie (President) occupied the chair. The Chairman, in opening the meeting, said it had been called on a requisition signed by several members, and he called upon Mr Bachman, whose name was first on the requisition, to introduce the matter. Mr Laclnnan said he thought it strange that the Government should not propose to put a clock and tower in the new Postoffice when they had had one in the old building, and when they had taken Ll5O from the Harbor Board and Ll5O from the City Council to defray the expense of the clock destroyed. He considered the first thing for him to do when he came here as representative of a large European firm was to get all the insurance he could. But the Government did not do that, though 'it was clearly their duty, as bailees for the people, either to insure or provide a sinking fund. Supposing there was to be a fire in the Government Buildings that night, what hundreds of thousands of pounds would be lost. He thought that this Chamber, being the thew and sinew of the commercial interests of this city, should take some step in this matter. ; and for that he had asked for a meeting. He moved that the Government be strongly urged to rebuild the Post-office tower and clock, In the event of the' Government refusing, he should move in the direction that the citizens of Wellington should build tower and clock by private subscription ; and he should be glad to do what he could in such an effort. Mr R. Gardner seconded the resolution. He agreed with Mr Lachman as to the duty of the Government to insure or make provision against fire ; and he quoted from remarks made by Sir John Hall in Parliament in 1881 as to insurance, in the course of which that gentleman said that it paid' th e Government best to be its own insurers ; and it was proposed, therefore, to let what insurances there were lapse. The question of a post office, Mr Gardner said, was a colonial, not a local one ; but what we might thank the Government for was anything extra to a local character. If the Government was only going to give them room and roof, it was the duty of the Wellington people to assert themselves in the matter. The President said he had had inquiries made as to what in other parts of the Colony, for We could not expect more than other places, In Auckland and Dunedin the Government contributed nothing ; in Christchurch, the Government found a. clock costing £260. These were facts, he remarked, which the Government would no doubt meet any claim with. He simply put this, before the Chamber for the benefit of speakers. Mr L. L. Harris thought they were at any rate entitled to a refund of the £3OO contributed. Mr Lachman was"quite sure there would be no difficulty in collecting the money ; and if he went out the next day he was certain that he could get from £BO to £IOO. In answer to a question from Mr Lachman, the President said he had not been able to see the Mayor to invite his presence at the meeting. Mr Barnett thought there was no need for indignation in the matter, and he expressed an opinion that the Government would meet any request made to them in a proper spirit. He believed, too, that there would he no difficulty in the matter, but that all would assist in getting a clock.

Mr J. B. Harcourt said they were not asking any local concession at all. They were asking for the restoring of the Colonial General Post-office. The clock was a standard time-piece for the Colony. In other colonies a clock and tower were considered necessary, and that was conceded by the previous Government provided a certain amount was subscribed. He had no doubt the Government would now be prepared to meet them in the same way. Mr Dransfield thought this was an inappropriate time to make the request to the Government, for Ministers were busy with the election, and were liable to be most virulently, attacked in connection with a matter like this. <■ In view of the information given by the Chairman, too, he thought they be laying themselves open to a slap in the face if they went to the Government. He should be very .sorry to form one of the deputation. Mr Lachman : I wouldn’t. Mr Dransfield said ho could understand that, but he had not the confidence in himself Mr Lachman had in himself. Mr Lachman could quite understand that Mr Dransfield was afraid of being disappointed, for when he (Mr Lachman) first came to the city he went with that gentleman and others to get the Mount Cook gaol removed ; but there the gaol was still. Mr Dransfield rose to a point of order. Mr Lachman, called to order, again urged his proposal. The President suggested that they should not ask the Government to do for Wellington what was not done for other parts of the Colony, but that they should ask them on what conditions they would assist.

Mr J. H. Cock thought the Chamber should act with the City Council in this, which was a municipal matter, and he moved as an amendment that the Council of the Chamber put themselves', in communication with the City Council and Harbor Board with a view of approaching the Government on tlie-' matter. Mr Dransfield seconded the amendment Mr Wheeler suggested that the Government should be asked to erect the tower and the citizens find the clock. Mr Barnett approved tlie- President’s suggestion. Mr James Smith thought it would he a great pity not to have a- clock in a high position, where it could be well seen. Mr Lachman withdrew his motion in favor of the amendment, and tlie latter was then put and carried.. This concluded the business.-