CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1661, 10 September 1925, Page 5

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

MONTHLY MEETING.

GENERAL BUSINESS TRANSACTED

... The regular monthly' meeting of the Te Awamutu Chamber of Commerce was held on, Tuesday evening, the president (Mr R. A. Coyne) occupying thejchair. Also present were Messrs D. i&irthur, S. Clark, C. G. Downes* J. Oliphant, A. Fowke, H. Andrew, T. Mclnnes, L. G. Armstrong, A. G. Weatherell, G. 0. Jourdain, D. Bockett. and the secretary, Mr A. G. Warburton. Mr N. E. Lee tendered his resignation as a member owing to his inability to attend meetings. Mr P. W. Peate also tendered his'resignation-The resignations were accepted With regret. The council of the Fire Underwriters' Association advised that the promised reduction in insurance rates would be made operative on November Ist.—Received. It was decided to accede to the request of the Canterbury Progress League to support the movement urging the Government to complete the railway between Christchurch and Picton.

The Dunedin Chamber offered to arrange accommodation for any members visiting the Exhibition.—Received. The secretary, Te Kuiti Chamber of Commerce, asked for support in urging, upon the Minister for Lands and the M.P. for the district the need for action in respect to deteriorated lands in various parts of the central portion of the North Island. The report of the recent commission upon the subject was forwarded. The secretary of the Auckland provincial court, N. Z. Exhibition, asked lor assistance in making the court a •success. t Some literature issued by the publicity office of the N. Z. Railways Board was forwarded, and favourably commented upon. ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting was then held, and the following report on the past year’s activities, accomplishments and endeavours was read:— “Before proceeding with my "report to-night I wish to refer particularly to the accompanying balance sheet which discloses a very satisfactory .financial position. Our total cash assets, assuming the shares in the Building Society, to be realisable, amount to £lO9. The immediate cash balance available wihout drawing upon the current year’s subscriptions, which are paid in advance, is £27, and this is a more favourable position than has been disclosed for many years past. It has, however, a particular bearing upon one project which was launched by the Chamber several months ago—the publication of a booklet descriptive of the town and district. Obviously there must be a subsidy drawn from somewhere before justice can be done to such a booklet, and I suggest that tonight the Chamber should vote a definite sum—say £2O, to the booklet suVcommittee to enable the work to proceed and as a guide to other public bodies who have been invited ta share with us the work of publishing such a booklet. Looking back upon the last year, the Chamber has continued to apply its ■endeavours in the direction of aiding the progress of both town and district. In the matter of the rural mail services which were re-let for a term of three years last December, we had a great deal of correspondence with the •department, whose officers throughout evinced a keen desire to improve the services for the people of the back country. By obtaining information as to the state of the roads in Various directions and by representing various alternative routes for which tenders could be invited, the Chamber was succesful in placing keener competition at the department’s disposal—competition not merely as to price but as to quality of service for the delivery of the mails. 'By these means, during recent years, the Chamber can claim to have brought about the improvemen" of many of the mail services which now serve the people in many rural districts. “Generally, our representations to various State departments have brought results, and several improvements in the public services are now available to the public, “On the subject of the fire premium rates, a question which is of direct concern to the business community and to the whole of the town, we have now a n assurance of a promised reduction being made effective on November Ist. “For the coming year there is scope for much useful work, and I cannot refrain from emphasising the need for regular attendances at the monthly meetings so that the Chamber may have the 'benefit of very constructive suggestion, that members can offer. Nor can I refrain from again stressing the fact that the desire of the Chamber Is to unite with the people of the districts and to support their endeavours to improve, not merely the town, but the conditions in the country. With our interests so closely interwoven there is the need for unified endeavour as between town and country. It is therefore merely the repetition of what has already been laid down as

the policy of the Chamber to state that the interests and activities of the are not necessarily confined to the boundaries of the borough, and to announce that we most cordially welcome every request from the districts for the Chamber to aid in district development. "In conclusion, I must thank members for their maintained support, and particularly must I thank those officers who have been associated with me during the year.” The report was received with applause, after which the treasurer read the balance sheet, which was well received. The names of three members, who bave left the district, were authorised to be struck off the register. Mr 'Downes was thanked ,for his help in collecting outstanding subscriptions. The election of officers for the ensu-, ing year was then proceeded with, and resulted as follows:—President, Mr R.

A. Coyne (re-elected); vice-president, A Mr D. McArthur (re-elected); auditor, * Mr A. G. Warburton; council, Messrs *S. Clark, D. Bockett, J. Oliphant, C. G. Downes, H. Andrew, T. Mclnnes and A. G. Weatherell; secretary, Mr G. O.

Jourdain. A special vote of appreciation for splendid services rendered over a term of many years was accorded the retiring secretary, Mr Warburton, and carried by acclamation. Speaking to the motion (which was proposed by Mr Coyne), Mr Downes pointed out that Mr Warburton had acted as secretary for years—in fact ever since its' inception. For a brief term he had handed over the duties to Mr Fortescue, but even in that period he had been a big help to that gentleman. Mr Warburton had made the work a real hobby, and his work had proved invaluable. It would be fair to elect him a life member. (Hear, hear). Such an honour would be fitting, for it was only conferred for very meritorious and lengthy services.

Mr Warburton was unanimously elected a life member, and he was voted a bonus of £lO 10s as a little recompense for time and ability given in the interests of the Chamber.

Eulogistic remarks in support of the motion were made by Messrs IH. Andrew, S. Clark, and J. Oliphant, all old members of the Chamber.

It was decided that the subscription be £1 Is, and the president and secretary were appointed to operate on the bank account.

A hearty vote of thanks to the past year’s officers, and to the press, was recorded by acclamation. Mr Downes supported the recommendation in the annual report in favour of providing £2O for issuing a booklet setting out the attractions of the town and district. Now that the New Zealand Exhibition period was near at hand he considered the time opportune for action.—This was agreed to. Mr Warburton was elected to the Booklet Publicity Committee in place of Mr W. R. Hayes, who is absent from the Dominion. Other members are Messrs Clark, Downes, McArthur and Jourdain.

It was decided to place the scheme before the Waipa Racing Club, the School Committee and the A. and P. Association.