CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1645, 11 January 1906, Page 3

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

INTERVIEW WITH HON. J. CARROLL.

A general meeting of the Gisborne Chamber of Commerce was held in the Farmers’ Union Club rooms last evening to meet the Hon. James Carrol), and lay the Teqairemmtsof the distriot before him. Mr 0 A. DeLantour presided, and there were present; Messrs Whinray, O’Meara, G. Evans, Common, F. Morgan, Harding, Towntey, Lyenar, W. Morgan and Maude.

Ia welcoming Mr Carroll the chairman said that the Chamber bad not had a chance of meeting Mr '’.Carroll, and the people of the district had expressed a wish to be in closer teach with their member. They had mapped! out a short programme of a few things they wished to bring b 8 fore his notice. The first matter was better shipping facilities Although they bad three ocean liners in the port at one time

competing for their meat and wool, these steamers could not be got to brmg one bos Of goods or one orate of drapery to the port. He understood the Government were going to subsidise one line of steamers, and if this were so he would ask their member to draw the Government’s attention to having Poverty Bay made a main port. The second matter was in regard to the telephone changes. The Chief Postmaster hq,d advised that a redaction was being made in the telephone bureau rates ; this was really an iacrease, The country people who were most inconvenienced by distance from town were charged the heaviest. Thess should be the ones whose rates should be reduoed. He urged upon their memb-r the advisability of keeping the question of harnessing Lake Waikaremoana bsfore the Government, and spoke npon the great need of a Domain Park for Gisborne, State nursery, and a Btatioumastsr for Te Karaka. Mr Townley ably seconded the Chairman’s remarks. He was strongly in favor of opening up the district by direct lines of roads, and hoped soon to soe a d'rect ooaoh road through to Waikaremoana and Morere. The lattsr road would reduce the distance from Gisborne to Morere by 13 miles, and the proposed road down the Mangapoiki would reduce the distanoe from Gisborne to Wairoa by 16 miles. He advocated the utilieiog of Waikaremoana for pleotrjcal purposes, and tcustrd that their member would urge upon tbo Government the necessity of carrying on the railway with greater despatch. Every effort Bhould be made to have their port made a ohief one. Vtssels were served here cheaper than in any otber port io the colony. . . Mr W. B. Common said tbeir great difficulty was in getting a sufßc'ent inward cargo at one time. If they could promise a direct shipment to Gisborne of 500 tons the Sbaw, Savill Co. and ether shipping companies woull undoriako to bring cargo direct to Gisborne. There was no doubt Gisborne would oome to be a main po:t in time,'but.the difficulty Bt prp3ent was in getting sufficient quant ties of cargo. He also referred to the great nead of a Bla’ion. master at Te Karaka. Mr Wbinray strongly advocated opening up the country by direct lines of road Waikaremoana was a very valuable aiatl to the district.‘ Apart fromiti vEt’uo as ar electrical power, it was defined to be om of tbo greatest tourist rcsoits cf Ihe eoun. try. He urged greater despatch iu carry ins on tbo railway line to the Motu. I should be put through within the next ttvi years to top the great areas of miliioj timber, • Mr Carroll ea’d he eppreotatod the object of the meeting and the subjects which had been brought before his notice. He was g'ad to soe that the Chamber of Commerce promised to bo a very live ocnoero, whioh would tike in hand a'l ma ters of importance to the district and the oolony. Is would be well, be said, if they oou'd triog about tbs import of tbeir gooi3 by the medium of the liners Which .took their export t-ads, He could not see how this oould bo done 3 present un'ess the Government m'gbt n BO P its iofiuenoe ia subsidising the overseas lino. « the, had the volume of trade, that would gat over the diffijulty. ihe matter rested wish their commerce institutions. The desirability of having some domain for their town was a waul i everyone f.K The population was iq. "»»V Sg “ "if&M undSiS 0.rt.i.1, b. tb.b« snot and planted with trees, and laid out Bp : °u' wnnld make an ideal park.

they wauiiou «u uruau buit msura IB uoar as possible. It was a question of flnanoe and ullimately thoy would got their water supply from Ibat souroo, aud thoy would havo an up-to-date water supply, good sanitary arrangements, and their town lit up by oleotrioity. The question was one of tho geeatoet I importance to the country. Ho spoke j upon what ho had been able to got for Waikarcinoann. Tho accommodation I house had beon buili and a road had been I pa lly formed round tho lake. Ho had got a bridle track through, and this was what thoy wore asking to havo made into I aooaob road. Ho had also had passed an Aot wbiok reserved threo-quartor of a milion acres of Alpine country around the lake.

In referenco to the need of a station* I master at Te Ivuraka, Mr Carroll stated that when in Auckland ho had interviewed jMr Ronayno upon receipt of Mr Da Lautour’s letter on the subject, enl he felt sure the matter would reoeivo immodiate [afctontiin. Ho nlsa mentionod tho roquirements of a separate postoflico at this plaoe. He would give his attention to the maltors laid beforo him that oveniDg. Ho congratulated the Chamber on tho live interest it was showing in regard to tho I requirements of the district and said he would not take it amiss if the Ohambor kopt always prodding him up in these matters. Ho would always do his best.