CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 125, 19 July 1911, Page 5

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

MONTHLY MEETING. Tho monthly meeting of tho Chamber of Commerce was held last night. Present: Messrs. S. K. Janies (in the chair), Young, McMillan, Cargill, and Richards (secretary). The secretary reported having taken the Hon. George Fowlds over portion of the Siratford-Opunako railway route. It was decided on the motion of Mr James that before Parliament meets the secretary will urge on the Hon. T. Mackenzie the necessity for a grant for the Stratford Mountain House. It was decided that as the present contract for the carriage of the Mata u-Purangi mails would not expire for a year nothing further should be done in the matter at present. Mr. McCutchan, Whangamomona, wrote that settlers desired that tho train arriving at Stratford at 2.45 p.m. should he made to arrive at 2.15 p.m., to enable banking business to be done—there was hardly time at present.—Messrs. Masters, Ward, and McMillan and tho secretary, wore appointed to go into tho matter. The same committee will also investigate Mr. Meredith’s suggestion regarding the 12.40 train. The Traffic Manager is to be approached on the question of how long tho train would take to run from Stratford to Whaugamomoaa when the line is opened. Mr. Athol Meredith wrote that he had ascertained that the settlers •dong the Toko line objected to tho morning train starting any earlier than the present time, 6.40 a.m., and tho settlers desired the Chamber to oppose the movement to start tho train earlier. They also desired the Chamber to agitate in the direction of having the 12.40 train leave two hours earlier on at least one day a week. Settlers also wanted the mails for out tho line (Douglas, To Wera, and Strathmore) to ho sorted on the mail train.—The secretary said that some time ago the postmaster had said there would be no difficulty in doing this. An application was put in, but nothing more had been heard about it.—lt was decided that the postmaster be approached on the matter.

The Tina. T. Mackenzie wrote:— With reference to the deputation which waited upon mo when I was at Stratford asking that the forest reserve over section 5, block 111., and section 5, block 1\ ~ Omona Survey District, should bo lifted, I have to inform you that I duly made representations to the Hon. the Acting-Minis-ter for Lands in connection with the matter, and the following is a portion of the memorandum he has sent me in reply :—“Tho area in question contains about Gl3O acres, and was reserved for the growth and preservation of timber under tho Land Act, 1K92, and is really situated in blocks VTT. and 5’111., Omona S.D. As you •v"0 no (hnibt aware, forest reservations under the l and Act can only bo lifted I'v special legislation, and such being the rso, there is no power at r.resort to give effect to the wishes of the Stratford Chamber of Commnpee ” Tt war, decided to approach the Minister for Lands on the mat-t-r, with a request that tho reservation he lifted and that the land bo opened Hr settlement, the Minister to be asked to introduce the necessary special legislation.