CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 111, 1 July 1911, Page 2

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

ANNUAL REPORT. The following report by the president (Mr. J. Masters) was read at the annual meeting of tiro Stratford (Jiiamber of Commerce on Thursday evening I Jiave pleasure in placing before you a resume of the work done by •the Chamber during the year ending on 31st May, 1911. As yon are aware, it was decided at a public meeting held in June, 1910, to form a Chamber of Commerce, and an executive committee was appointed to transact business. It has formally met on sixteen occasions, and has diligently attended to all matters brought up affecting the / district. , Rules have been drafted and approved, and would have been submitted to a meeting of the Chamber, but I regret to say that the meeting called by advertisement was attended only by members of the executive and lapsed-for want of a quorum. The balance-sheet to be submitted to you shows a credit balance of £1 16s, which fluist be considered satisfactory. The Te Wera-Stratford railway time-table engaged your committee’s attention, and although all their suggestions were not adopted, appreciable' improvements were instituted. The loss of goods at Douglas and other railway side stations was greatly minimised by . the department, arranging for a truck to run at certain times. The electric bells at Fenton and Regan Streets’ railway crossings are an accomplished fact, and certainly reduce danger to the public. Accounts for telephonic communications) hfljye been j.spi altered that same are. now, itemised, and in response to ia request from the Chamber the. Stratford . .Exchange is now open, at Tiiu.ra. instead of 8 a.m. as heretofore.. •Messrs./-Paths Freres were approached with a view to the production of cinematographic films illustrating the dairy industry without success, but- the Tourist Department has issued instructions to the operator to the same end. The Opunake Railway.—Much time, thought, and correspondence have, been expended on this matter, •and although nothing definite can be reported, tue opinion of the Hon. R. McKenzie, Minister tor Public Works, expressed to a deputation which waited on him in Stratford to tiie effect that the Opunake line is at least one of tiie most urgently required branch lines in the Dominion is a step in the right direction. The. cost of upkeep of roads in tho district affected is so serious that no effort should bo spared in urging the construction of this railway. There are many reasons which demand this railway, but in, order to emphasize the most cogent, I / will state it only as follows: The re-metalling of the main roads in that thickly populated area is effected by the expenditure of loan monies, and' it is safe to assert tiiat in ten years sufficient money .would bo spent thereon to pay the cost of a railway.' The rates are already high, hut they are not siuffcien&to cover interest, and a sinking fluid proportionate to the wear and tear on the'road. The inevitable result is a rapidly increasing 'debt without a counter-balancing asset. The cost of transit by road and of maintenance o,f. mads would lie appalling if the rates levied were high enough to provide interest and a sinking fund which would extinguish the loan during the term of the existence‘"of* the work done 1 , by 1 tjie' expenditure of loan monies. There is thus evident a policy which must result in a piling up of debt, and it behoves those responsible tor itso'payment to emerge .iii;pm a fool’s paradise and assert their Rights to a construe-• tiou of some better and more . permanent means df : transit. The I district is fertile and wealthy, and would readily respond .to -a- guarantee of interest on a railway, and the people should not be restrained from progress nor repressed into unnecessary debt. The development of the harbour by tlie extension of the breakwater at Moturoa is. cause for much satisfaction'*■ The arrival of; direct boats is now an ''accomplished fact. Petroleum. and iron sand prospects are encouraging.

The. Stratford-Ongarno railway has made good progress, and the section to Whangamomona will probably be available for traffic in six months. From there to the Tangarakan coalfields the distance is approximately 2 6 miles; a chance of cheap fuel is therefore in sight, and will doubtless ho developed when railway transit becomes possible. The operations of stone crushing at the Mount Egmont quarries are at a. standstill, and it is sincerely hoped that the Government will continue the construction of this line to a point where an adequate supply of metal can be obtained.. .

On 31st March the Hon. Thos Mackenzie visited Stratford as the guest of the Chamber.. He was conveyed to. the Stratford Mountain House, and the necessity of improving, same, and access thereto*■ was urged upon him. The Chamber bad also the pleasure bi • entertaining the Minister at a banquet a. few days later, and were pleased to note a number of visitors from other districts.; * -.The function was very ■ successful and enjoyable. The progress of the town and district has been satisfactory. Building has been brisk in Stratford, and business generally has been good. Brices for oni' staple products, although somewhat lower than previously, have been satisfactory during the past year. The extension of the fat lamb business indicates itself as being very worthy of study and development by those farmers who are not engaged in dairying. The farmers of small flocks are too few, and the prospects of a well farmed flock of, say, 500 owes, apnear profitable. Membership of the Chamber totals !1, hut of this number three have been but recently elected, and ton have not paid their subscriptions. Ti:e volume of business transacted by -vohr committee clearly indicates the necessity, of the Chamber, and I sincerely trust .that, 'members will increase and afford to it such support as the result of its efforts deserve. The. future of Stratford' town and district is pregnant with great possibilities. The town generally has greatly improved dining the last two veers, and many events will occur which, will tend to its benefit or the. reverse. Your committee .has never failed to carefully weigh all circumstances likely to affect the progress of the town, and it is highly important that such vigilance and thought should continue. “There is a tide 'in the affairs of men, Which taken at the flood loads on to fortune. Omitted, all tier remainder of their lives Is hound in miseries and shallows,” Gentlemen, 1 appeal to all the itizors of Stratford to justify that reputation they enjoy for standing shoulder to shoulder in all matters 1 ylnch; affect the • welfare of the town,

and to remember that that difficulty experienced in ancient Egypt in making bricks 'without straw is still applicable at the present day, when it is desired that work shall be done without funds.