CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Wairarapa Daily Times, 17 April 1935, Page 6

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday afternoon, there being 15 members present, Mr A. B. Wood presiding. The President apologised for the absence of the secretary, Mr H. M. Boddington, stating that Mr W. G. Lamb would act at this meeting in Mr Boddington’s absence. New members elected were Messrs F. P. Brown and L. Thomas. TRANSPORT QUESTIONS.

Mr 11. H. Daniell, one of the members of the committee appointed to bring down a report on transport questions, said they had been unable to get the committee together on the subject owing to the 31st March intervening and the committee members being busy. He thought. the report would be available for a meeting in IVTciy. The president said he thought it still a matter of importance, especially the question of road transport. As a member of the committee interested in aviation transport, Mr W. L. Free said that since the last meeting of the Chamber the Transport. Board had granted licenses for main air routes, and others were invited to form taxi services to feed the main routes. It would not do to be apathetic about the matter. Mr D. M. Graham moved that the next meeting of the Chamber be held on 21st May when they could go into the reports of the committee, although he personally thought the committee appointed quite callable of dealing with the question. If the committee thought fit they could call a meeting of the Chamber earlier. The motion was seconded by Mr A. J. Allison and carried. It was suggested that road transport be investigated first by the "committee. It was decided that Mr L. Thomas be added to the transport committee. Mr Daniell said the most important section of those interested in transport was not represented, and that was the business community. None of those on the Transport Board represented the business community. When the Board sat there was no one to represent the commercial community. The Chamber of Commerce represented the commercial community, and he thought they should interest themselves in the question. The commercial people just sat and took what was coming to them.

The president said commercial people were the ones who desired to see transport on*a better basis and they had not been represented. Mr W. Michael asked whether the Chamber were supposed to be committed to a point of view on the question and what was the Chamber’s transport policy. He thought that the question was at present open as far as the Chamber was concerned. COLLECT TELEPHONE CALLS.

A letter was received from the Wellington Chamber asking the opinion of Masterton members on the Post Office innovation of collect telephone calls. The Wellington body considered that the system was undesirable and faulty, leaving itself open to abuse. Mr E. M. Hodder did not think it was a good innovation, the possibilities of abuse being very large. It placed largo business houses in an awkward position. Any persons could call up these houses to place orders which could be very small and not warrant the use of the telephone. The business houses concerned would not like to refuse to take the calls as it might mean the loss of business. The old system did not lay itself open to abuse and arrangements' could always be made between tho client and the business house concerned regarding contributions to cost of bureaus. This had been done in the past. Mr H. H. Daniell considered that the Post and Telegraph Department was to be commended for the way it was experimenting lately, especially in finding a person whose actual whereabouts was not known. If the system of collect calls was found to be abused it could be discontinued. The new system was very useful to the commercial traveller reporting to his firm and there were others to whom it was an advanrtage.

Mr Allison said it had been a costly experiment as far as he personally was concerned. ■-

Mr R. Franklin, speaking as a trader, thought the principle wrong and apt to bo pernicious. No business man had the Tight to put another to expense without consent. He did not think the Post Office should go in for what could be dangerous experiments. The Post Office was, however, to bo commended on several worthy experiments. If the commercial community does not approve, attention should be called to the matter, and if so the Department would ask the Chamber to give reasons for the innovation. Ho could, perhaps, point out advantages. By the time of the next meeting; also, members would have time to consider other arguments for and against the system. It was decided that the matter bo held over till next meeting. RESIDENT MAGISTRATE. Mr H. 11. Daniell said that for some months now the Resident Magistrate (Mr J. Miller) at Masterton was more in Wellington than in Masterton. Mr Miller had said that it would have been more suitable to him to reside in Wellington. Now that Mr Miller has been transferred to Napier, there would bo no resident Magistrate in Masterton. They would probably get a magistrate from Wellington who would come up every fortnight to take the court sittings here. This was a great disadvantage as probably the magistrate would have to get back to Wellington after the sitting and would have one eye on the clock which was not a fair position. Court matters should not be hurried. Masterton was fortunate to have an experienced Coroner in Mr E. G. Eton but if he happened to bo away it would I

be difficult to get someone to take his place if there was no resident magistrate. It was necessary for a magistrate, not Justices of the Peace, to commit a person of unsound mind and there were many other duties carried out by a magistrate which were not taken in actual court. For instance smaller mortgages were dealt with by a magistrate and not by the Supreme Court. For several months now Masterton had not had a resident magistrate even though he had been actually living here. With only a visiting magistrate once a fortnight for a lengthy ease it would be necessary to get a special day and it might not be possible to get it. The legal profession considered that the Magistrate’s Court was the people’s court. The courts of law should be something separate from the economic system and it was false economy to have such a shortage of magistrates which was not good for the community as eases were rushed through. The president considered that the Chamber should move and move strongly that Masterton should have a resident magistrate! Masterton had recently lost the Supreme Court sittings and the fact that it was necessary to go to Wellington made it costly for those concerned. It was decided on the motion of Mr Bowden that steps bo taken for a joint deputation from the Chamber and the Bar to personally interview the Under-Secretary of Justice and through him the Minister of Justice to obtain a resident magistrate for the Wairarapa district.

Mr Michael suggested that perhaps the question of the reinstatement of the Supreme Court could also be raised. He understood that there was no economy except travelling expenses of the judge. Tho court machinery was l already here. It might, of course, be asking far too much. Mr Daniell said that the matter of the Supreme Court came within the province of the Chief Justice, and the resident magistrate a matter for the Minister of Justice. There was 1 a shortage of judges. Perhaps this matter could be brought up later. On the motion of the president, Messrs C. M. Bowden and 11. H. Daniell were appointed as a deputation in cooperation with a representative of the local branch of the Law Society.