ANNUAL REVIEW

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 29, 30 November 1943, Page 6

ANNUAL REVIEW

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

ACTLCLTJtKS OVHR THK YEAR

The following report whs read .by the president, Mr C. F. Thomas., at the. annual meeting of the Whakatane Chamber of Commerce last Wednesday:— It is once more my privilege to present the annual report -covering the Chamber's activities for the last twelve months anil to give an account of our stewardship for that period. Tiie rirsi matter 1 would touch on is the. state of our membership and finances. We started the year with a total of 100 financial members; resignations, deaths and transfers have accounted for i'.i while 8 new names on our books bring the total to !)"). To tills must be added those, in the armed forces Avhose names arc held on our armed forces list and 8 on the. honorary list. At the beginning of the financial year our credit balance stood at £2!J 18s 8c I. After the year's activities Ave now have a credit balance, of £'23 18s. Id in the bank and a War Bond for £10,, a total of 18s Id. The healthy state shown above particularly the. membership position reflects great credit on our Secretary and I would take this opportunity of expressing the. Chamber's thanks and appreciation to Mr (.rood for the excellent manner in which he has handled our affairs since, he took over the office of Secretary .some three years ago.

I would not like to express an opinion whether this year has been more fruitful of matters requiring our attention or whether the Council of the Chamber has made more of its opportunities. Whatever the cause, the result has been a greater number of problems which have received our attention, some to finality some where we. have just scratched the ground and where there is not as yet any sign of a crop. 1 shall place before you my comments on eaeli matter in the order in which it came before the Chamber. 1. Pedestrian Shelters. We. ap* proached the Borough Council asking that they have a pedestrian shelter erected approximately midway along Domain lload. They did not comply with our wishes but no doubt you have all noticed that seals have been erected in that area. 2. Bus Run. We considered that it .was essential to have a suitable bus run throughout the Aveuk, particularly to bring residents! J'rom Kopeopeo and surrounding districts to toAvn. We approached Mr Ca\*e who Avas prepared to run this service if a license could, be obtained. He applied for one, and at the sitting of the Transport Authorities I, appeared before them and a license Avas granted to Mr Cave to run Avliat services he and Ave considered necessary. He is now running a serAdce Avhich is quite remuneratiAC to him and. certainly a great boon to the. townspeople. 3. Laundry. When the 'Snow White' laundry Avas closed due to the absence of the proprietor. Ave approached Mrs Vitali requesting that she be prepared to conduct the laundry if suitable assistance could be provided. This she. Avas not prepared to.-do at that time. -1. Kural Service. Late last year the late Mr John Dockray was called in the ballot and as we considered. that it Avas essential to retain

the. rural service for the benefit of the town and country, 1 was instructed to appeal- before the Armed Forces appeal board and ask that this service be retained. We were successful, but after his death, Mr Jack King was released from other essential work took over this run with a result that there \. as hardly a break in this operation. At a later date his name came iici'o.'v I lie appeal board and an :ip;>;ication Uy us was favourable received.

f>. Airport. As the Ch.vnber had a!\v;tys interested its') I in llijs important matter we couriered it our duty to congratulate tii:> Hourly Council in placing Lh.• question of Jic establishment of a:i airport as jne of its foremost matters leuc'trng attention after the \v;. \ Three jf lis were present at a nuwijij (cozened by tlie County Comicil. to Lscuss this matter. As you v.]) .now the two Councils are now giv« ng this matter serious consideration. 7. Gisborne-Auckland HaiJ Service: A public meeting: was called jy the Chamber for the StJi July at which our local Member of. I'ar.iament, Mr Sullivan spoicc it length on the. need for a rail connection between Gisborne and Auekand. The expressed opinion of that meeting A\as that we should support ;i bo' .i!. ajip' cation for an atrial s: • ' dew to h:i\ing tlie completion of this line set as one

of the primary jobs upon which lo employ rehabilitate' soldiers. 8. 'Rehabilitation. Messrs King and Whitworth and I represented your Chamber at a public meeting at which Mr Mooba i Chairman «d the Rehabilitation. Board spoke. We touched, on sever)! matters of a constructive nature the outcome ot tie meeting being that a local Rehabilitation Board was set up. Cur nominations to that board was either the. Chairman of the County Council or the Mayor of the I>o;\iugh. and as both of these gen', cmen have been appointed we hav ■ no representation other than Uvi-ugli them. !)., Bootmaker. When Mr Sam Brown's .business was closed -down we saw the need for more bool repairing facilities in this borough. Through the Manpower people, we contacted Mr Frank Milne who wished, to be rehabilitated into his former trade. It took nearly twelve months to secure his release" as a tirade 2 man ami you Avill notice that lie his operating successfully in the Whakatane. Hotel i i:iklinjgs.

10. Fish. The supply ol' lish was exercising the minds of residents and we took the opportunity of asking lor an enquiry. An olliccj- of the Fish Control Council came to Whakatane. and Messrs Cummings. Crccke and I, sal in eon Terence with him J'or a i'ull day. We consider the outcome fairly satisfactory; briefly it is as I'ollows: • The wholesaler w-ill where possible supply to the other retailers but raises jio objection to them fishing themselves or employing oilier lisherjuen to catch for them without having to pay a royalty or put the (ish through a wholesale house. This should lead to more lisli. and a greater co-operation between the parties concerned. 11. Land Bill. We wired Mr Sullivan asking that lie place before the House our objection to the Land Bill as it then stood, lie did. but. J am afraid the many objections raised throughout New Zealand were of little avail. In conclusion, 'gentlemen. 1 wish to thank those members oi' the. Council oi' the Chamber -who have g*ven me such loyal support and assistance throughout the year. J. would also thank the Borough Council who have, made their council room available free of charge J'or all of our meetings, ami would express the hope that, as the Chamner is now .such an active and virile institution, long may it continue to be .so.