Cambridge Chamber of Commerce.

Waikato Argus, Volume XXV, Issue 3845, 28 July 1908, Page 3

Cambridge Chamber of Commerce.

' The'quarterly meeting of members of the above was held last evening, Mr R. T. Tudehope, president, being in the chair.

—Report.— The quarterly report mentioned the successful completion of several important matters since the chamber last met, and that strenuous efforts had been made by the council to secure important improvements in other matters vitally affecting the welfare of the district. The matter of the Plate Glass Mutual Insurance Company had been placed in the hands of Mr J. W. Wilson, of Cambridge, who had made a most successful canvass for support both in Cambridge and Hamilton, and the floating of the company might be looked upon as an accomplished fact. Although the attempt to secure a separate telephone exchange with Auckland had failed, the Hamilton service had been put on a much more satisafctory footing. It was understood that the Maungatautari telephone line was completed, and that there was a good prospect of getting in touch with Gricedale at an early date. The plans for the new Cambridge Courthouse were in hard. The long delayed chiming clock was now within the Dominion. Efforts had been made to put Cambridge on the Government tourist list, and the Premier had promised that he would favourably consider the matter. Unsuccessful efforts had been made to induce the Department to erect a new railway station at Cambridge, and also to put the Cambridge station in touch with other parts of the railway line by telephone. The suggestion made by the chamber several times to arrange for a conference of chambers of commerce had been taken up and put into practice by the Whangarei branch. No doubt the idea would be carried out on a more complete scale in the near future. The council was making every effort to secure the required number of subscribers to secure the 8 till 8 telephone service, and hoped before the next meeting to be able to report their success.

The report was adopted, the details of the function in connection with the annual meeting being left to the xecutive to arrange. —lrregularity of Trains. — Mr T. W. Waite, district traffic manager, wrote in reply to the chamber's complaint re the frequent late arrival of trains at Cambridge, saying the short time allowed at Ruakura for the necessary work there was responsible for the delay. The matter would be kept in view, and when the timetable was being revised an endeavour would be made to remedy the matter. —After a general discussion, the whole matter of obtaining improved train facilities was referred to the executive. —Chiming Clock. — The Under-Secretary of the Public Works Department wrote that the chiming clock had arrived in Auckland, and as soon as it could be got to Cambridge arrangements would be made for its erection without delay. The Acting-Under-Secretary of the Department of Justice wrote that plans for the new courthouse at Cambridge were now in course of preparation. —In reply to a question, the Chairman said he did not know whether the building was to be in brick or not. —Waste Lands. — Mr A. Ramsay, of Tauwhare, wrote on the subject of the waste land between Tauwhare and Fencourt. There are about 7000 acres in the block, which at present was a hotbed for noxious weeds and rabbits. It could be pointed out that the land would not be used by the natives of the district, as they were gradually becoming scarcer, and that 15 or 20 rate-paying farms would be better than the existing state of things. He suggested a petition in regard to get-. ting the lands opened up.—lt was decided- to frame a petition, and to thank Mr Ramsay for drawing attention to the matter. —Fleet Holidays.— The question of arranging the holidays so as to fit in with the train arrangements during fleet week was discussed. It was decided to ascertain the wishes of tradespeople, and to ask the mayor to issue a public notification accordingly. Easter Carnival. — The matter of holding a carnival during Easter week was introduced by Mr Tudehope, who stated that Messrs O'Toole, Wilkinson, and himself had collected considerable information- in connection therewith. It was thought that a carnival could be run at little cost, and made to act as a splendid advertisement for Cambridge. Members discussed the subject in its different aspects, and ultimately it was decided that the gentlemen named be a preliminacry committee to gather all necessary information and report to the executive, so that a meeting of townspeople might be called later. —Cambridge-Auckland Telephone.— Mr G. E. Clark thought the chamber should keep on agitating for the erection of a separate telephone line between Cambridge and Auckland. He moved, and Mr Hammond seconded, "That the Department be again written to urging reconsideration of their decision regarding the direct line from Cambridge to Auckland, on the ground that the present use of the telephone at Cambridge is not an index of the business available,as the present- delays reduce the business to an enormous extent." This was carried. —Gricedale Telephone.— The necessary guarantee being forthcoming for the Gricedale telephone bureau, it was agreed to make application for the erection of the line. —Warden's Court. — In regard to the reported gold discovery at Maungatautari, the secretary reported that several communications had passed.—lt was agreed to write to the Minister for Justice suggesting that, as it is understood that Maungatautari is to be declared a goldfield, Cambridge be constituted the Warden's Court for the new field. *—Extended Telephone Service.— It was decided that active measures be taken to secure nine more subscribers to the telephone exchange, that being the additional number required to secure an a.ms. till 8 p.m. service.