LEVIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 10 February 1915, Page 2

LEVIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

♦ AFTER MANY MONTHS. Last night in tho Council Chambers the Levin Chamber of Commerce resumed its meetings. Several attempts to hold the ordinary meetings before Christmas failed, and last night's meeting wa.s the first for some months. There were present: Messrs E. S. Lancaster (chairman), J. Robertson, A. Dem.spey, I). W. Matheson, H. Newport, C. H. Pyke, and A. Grover. The chairman reported tJiaL the Government had been waited on in •jonlieetion with the train .service to Wellington. but he could not say that they had got much satisfaction, and there was room for much improvement. One thing the Chamber should take up was the action of the Railway Department in charging passengers to and from Levin by tfie Main Trunk express trains the full fare from Palmer.ston to Wellington or Wellington to Palmer.ston. It was ail injustice that should he. removed. Mr Robertson said that the skipping of the Main Trunk trains at Levin was the action of the General Manager. Mr Hiley, but Mr Hiley had no intention ol doing what was being done hi present bv tho Department—charging Levin passengers the Wellington-Pal-me raton fare. He had written to th'" General Manager drawing attention t< it but no reply had been received to tin letter yet. He was perfectly certain that when Mr Hiley decided to make Levin a stopping place for the Main Trunk trains that it was not his intention to charge passengers the AVelling ton-Palmerston fare. After some further discussion it wa* decided to write to the General Manager, -pointing out that his promise to Mr Robertson in regard to the stopping of the Main. Trunk trains at Levin u: pick up passengers was not being carried out. and also pointing out to him the great disadvantages regarding the train service residents of the district were labouring under still. The chairman said that the Government should be written to in connection with the increased cost of foodstuffs. such as wheat, flour and sugar, especially sugar. There was no excuse for the rise in tho price of sugar. Other members agreed with the chairman. and one member stated that the excuse given for the rise in the price of sugar was the fact that the price had increased in Europe and if '.he Colonial Sugar Company exported :ts sugar it could get a better price for H and consequently raised the price loeallv.

Mr Robertson : That is one advantage of keeping the son routes open.

Mr Dempsey: Yes. the public pays to keep the trade ronton open and tlion it is exploited.

The chairman moved that the Prime Minister lie written to asking him to make enquiries into the rise in the price of foodstuffs and protesting against the increase.

Mr Newport, seconded the motion and it was agreed to.

Mr Matheson thought it would be a good idea to aproach the Horowhenua A. and P. Society and ask if it could see its way clear to hold its 111nual show 011 the Levin Park Domain. It would Ijo a good tiling for the show and for the town itself. The present grounds Mere too far away, and a ot <>i people would not visit the show >11 that account. The domain had ail area of eleven acres, large enough for the show. He moved that a deputation of those present wait on the Homwheuua A. and P. Society committee to ascertain if the Society would be agreeable to hold iU> annual show on the Levin park domain, providing the Levin Borough Council gave the Society a satisfactory tenure.

Mr Dempsey seconded the motion :ind it was carried.

In connection with the rural telephone scheme the chairman stated thai a deputation from the Levin Borough Council had waited on the Tiioroiwhenua County Council to ascertain the position. Tlie County Council had agreed to hand over one of the petitions circulated for signature among the ettlers, to the.Borough Council, but nothing had been seen of the petition. It was decided that another deputation of all members of the. Chamber wait on the County Council on Saturday and make further enquiries. Mr Newport moved that the Horowhenua County Council and the TWin Borough Council he written tn asking that tlio Tvawiu road subway he carried out.

Mr Robertson seconded the motion Tin's was agreed to.