CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Taranaki Daily News, 21 August 1930, Page 13

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

TARANAKI INSTITUTION

MEMBERS’ ANNUAL meeting.

The annual meeting of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce was held last night, the president (Mr. J. McLeod) presiding over .an attendance of twenty members. ■ . ... The activities of’ the chamber during the past year were summarised in the annual report as published in the Daily News yesterday morning. In' moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet the president made several references to important questions with which the business community is faced at the present time, as reported elsewhere in this morning’s Daily News, and went on to refer with satisfaction to the recent development of New Plymouth as an air port. It was gratifying, he said, to read recently that New Plymouth -was being considered as one of the main ports in an Auckland-Wellington air service. “I desire,” added Mr. McLeod, “to take this opportunity of thanking particularly members of the council and the secretary for their loyal assistance during the year in carrying cut the duties of an office for which I did not consider myself adequately fitted, but which I am now proud to have occupied in the succession of very able presidents of the past.” The adoption of the report and bal-ance-sheet was seconded by Mr. S. E. Shaw, who congratulated the president on his able and comprehensive review. There was ■ more material in- the chairman’s address, he eaid, than could be dealt with in one evening. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. The election of officers resulted as follows: President, Mr. L. M. Moss (Mr. S. E. Shaw, retiring vice-president, declining election); vice-president, Mr. A. F. Sandford; council, Messrs. J. McLeod, J. A. R. McGregor, G. Fraser, J. McNeill, P. E; Stainton, C. Carter, S. F. Burgees, C- H. Weston, S. E. Shaw, J. R. Cruickshank, W. J. Penn, T. C. List; auditor, Mr. Hugh Baily. Mr. McLeod moved pro forma that the subscription'be reduced to £1 10s, but as this former figure was only Is Gd lower than the existing subscription members felt the change would hardly induce greater membership, and it was decided to make no alteration.

In taking office the new president said that there were many matters in the chairman’s address that would no doubt be dealt with by the incoming council, and were of great importance "to the community.

Mr. W. J. -Freeth referred to the chamber’s immigration scheme for bringing out boys from England on to Taranaki farms. Although it had been temporarily suspended it was an excellent scheme, he said, and he suggested that the chamber should communicate with Mr. T. C. List in England conveying the chamber’s greetings and good wishes and asking him to continue to keep in touch with the parents of the boys in England. The project of putting New Zealand boys on farms, as advanced in Auckland by critics of the Taranaki scheme, had failed. As a practical farmer who had kept closely in tejjeh with the Taranaki scheme ne was more than ever convinced that the scheme was an excellent one. Mr. L. J. W. Gardiner eaid that money was being collected in town to keep unemployed men employed on relief works. This, unfortunately, sometimes had the effect of drawing men into town from the country. He suggested that the money collected might be placed in a trust fund from which it could be drawn as required and used to place unemployed men in the country. It would deal with unemployment, increase production, and turn a drift to the town into a drift to the country.

Mr. W- J. Freeth questioned the suitability and adaptability of many of the town unemployed for country work. Mr. Moss complimented Mr. McLeod on his address which, he said, reflected a considerable amount 'of original thought and a wide knowledge of the affaire of the town and country. Votes of thanks were passed to Mr. McLeod and the retiring council.