CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 43, 20 June 1947, Page 5

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

GENERAL MEETING TELEPHONE IMPROVEMENTS The efforts of the Whakatane Chamber of Commerce to secure improved telephone facilities for people living at Kopeopeo and Ohope have been successful. At a general meeting of the Chamber on Tuesday evening the president, Mr R. T. Morpeth, reported on this matter. Telephone Box at Kopeopeo

Recently the Chamber took up with the P. and T. Department the matter of a street telephone box for the Kopeopeo district. The president said he had met officials of the Department who had •displayed a plan of the district showing the houses already served by telephones. The Department had been concerned with locating the telephone box where it would serve not only the maximum number of houses now without telephones, but also prospective users. A site in the vicinity of Stewart Street is in view, as there would be a big housing block erected in that part of the town before long. Party Line Replaced Another matter discussed was the telephone at the Kopeopeo Post Office, which had been a party line and not a direct line. The Whakatane Postmaster, Mr W. A. Trask, explained to the meeting that the work of installing a direct telephone had recently been carried out, and a better service mould now be given to residents. The president expressed the hope that the telephone booth would also soon be erected. Ohope Post Office In a discussion of post office and telephone facilities at Ohope Beach Mr Trask stated that a separate building was being erected at Ohope by Mr G. E. Mahy for use as a post office. This would probably be completed within a month ■or six weeks.

For the convenience of Ohope residents there would be a multi-coin slot telephone installed in the vestibule of the office. . This could be used for local or long-distance calls •after the normal office hours.

Christmas Carnival Reporting on the proposed Christmas and New Year Carnival, which had been discussed at the previous meeting, the president said the executive had been busy during the interval. Mr J. . Creeke had agreed to take on the position of carnival organiser, and was well suited for this work as he had had experience -of carnivals in Australia, and could devote time to the carnival. The search for someone willing to act as secretary was still going on. When a secretary had been found a public meeting would be called. Costs and Prices The unfortunate effects on businessmen of having costs of goods mounting faster than the prices fixed by the Price Tribunal was discussed.

In this connection it was decided to support the Associated Chambers in its contention that because manufacturers expect their costs to be increased by the proposed general all-round increase in wages there should be a corresponding increase in prices of commodities affected.

The president gave instances of how retailers had been adversely affected through delay in obtaining supplies of seasonable goods. Manufacturers would not fill orders until the Price Tribunal had considered applications for increased prices to compensate for increased .costs.

Members agreed that the question of raising prices should be considered at the same time as the question of raising wages and other manufacturing costs.

The Chamber agreed to the suggestion of the Association that it -should circularise its members asking them to subscribe to the official journal of the Associated Chambers. Farmers’ Viewpoint Mr J. Neilsen, one of the farmers who had accepted the Chamber’s invitation to be present, said he would like to hear the Chamber express an opinion on the subject of derating of farm land. If ever there had been any justification for hospital rates in past years there seemed to "be no justification now in view of the existence of the Social Security system.

The president invited Mr Neilsen to attend the next general meeting and bring other farmers with him 'to address the Chamber on the sub-

ject of derating. It was, he thought, a big question, on which there had been a difference of opinion in the past, and it had been discussed by local bodies for years. Members of the Chamber would be pleased to have enlightenment on the subject. The Chamber is putting the subject of derating on its agenda for next meeting.