WAIPAWA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 160, 24 July 1937, Page 8

WAIPAWA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Our Owri Correspondent.)

MANY MATTERS DISCUSSED

(From

WAIPAWA, This Day. The annual general meeting of tlio Waipawa Chamber of Commerce was held iast evening, the president, Mr F. M. Tickner, being in the chair and there being a fair attendance of mombers. The report and balance-sheet as presented were adoptcd, on the motion of Messrs Witherow: and Limbrieli, both Bpeakers congratulating the president on the work done by the chamber during the period under review. The election of officers resulted as follows: — President,' Mr F. M. Tickner (^•e-elected) ; vice-presidents, Messrs . F. h. Jull, J. Barker and F. Eagle. Mr G. Taylor, who has occupied the position of socretary for some years, stated that he would be unable to continue in office as he was unable to devote the time necessary, and Mr F. Adeane was appointed to fill th'e vacancy. On the motion of Mr Eagle a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the retiring secretary. Messrs V. Pattcrson, T. Black. O. King, F. W. Holt and F. C. Kingston were elected new members. The president, vice-presidents, secretary, and Mr. H. T. Limbrick were appointed as an executive committoe, the retailers' committee at present operating in the town to continue in ollice. The annual subscription was iixed at 5/-. It was deeided that. the chamber 6hould again commence holding monthly meetings on the iirst Monday dn each month, the first to be hel.d on September 6, at 7.30 p.m. Gasworks Bailway Crossing. Mr F. J. Witherow urged that attention of the Kailway Department and the Borough Council should be drawn to the state of the railway crossing at the gasworks and the , adjacent pieces of road. The secretary stated. that eome alteration was to be made to tho line and the Inatter would uo'doubt be remedied then. Mr Witherow considered that the chamber should briug the matter before the council, and moved dn this direction. Mr Limbrick said ho did not think it necessary to pass any motion as tbe council was alive to the position and had taken the matter up with the Kailway Department. The couneil had now no control over the road, which was a State highway. Mr Harker said he had recently dnspected the portions coinplained of and the work would bo done, he understood, when the line was altered. The attention of the Highways "Board had been drawn to the etate of .tho road. Plans fors Proposed"' Post Offlcc. Mr Tickner tirought ' forward the matter' of the plahs of the proposed new Post Office, which he understood had been prepared by the department and submitted to the local postmaster for comment. He / suggested • that . the chamber . should forward a xequcst to the department that the plans be made available for . perusal, ,with a view to submitting any recommendations necessary to meet local. requirements. Mr Adeane, in supporting this proposal, said he understood that the ereetion of-the new office * would do away with the right-of-way next lo Mr MacGregor's premises, and in viow of the ereetion in the near future of the new school' below the railway line, it was vital that access from the centrcof 'the town dhoiild be lcft. Mr Harker eaid that the council had already made application for access co the plahs through' Mr1 H. M. Christie, M.P., and the necessity for the righti . of-way had been stressed. Mr Limorick considered that the department would erect a building suitablo for the . needs - of tho town, ' ahd 'access to the school could bo proyided further down. , He suggested, however, that 'the department might be urged to erect the new building" on eome other site. . Tho present sdtuation might be sufficicnt for the present needs of the town, -but some thought should be given to the future. Members, howevert were of the opinion that the present site was most central and that any move for a chango would only further delay the matter. It was xesolved to requost the department to make the plans available. Absentee owners, Mr F. Holt said he uad watched with some concern the purchase by absentee owners of a number of f arms in the district, which must have an unfavourable eifect on trade in Waipawa. The new owners of these properties continued to live in th& larger towns, doing all their shopping there, and also for their employees on the property. Where in the past a piace had eupported a family which had made Waipawa its headquarters, now there was probably only oue, or two at most, men who had no interest in the town. If this continued it must have a detrimental eifect on Waipawa, which would gradually become a "squeezed village,, in the inidst of large holdings. After some general diseussion the president was inetructed to investigate the matter.