CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4442, 19 July 1922, Page 2

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held last evening. Present: E. Wl Porritt (president), A. Steedman, D. Leach, W. Marshall, P. E. Brenan, E. Edwards, J. T. Brown, W. F. Johnstone, and R. Wnitten. BALANCE SHEET. The audited balance-sheet was presented. In his remarks as honorary auditor Mr. A. Steedman said the list of unpaid members’ fees should be gone through and written off as irrecoverable. He considered the pruning knife should be used, and cut our. those who had left the district at any rate. This should have been done oefore the end of the financial year, March 31.

Mr. Porritt said that the names left in when the list was revised for the previous year were considered good. Apparently they had been mistaken. He agreed with the auditor that it was useless putting the outstanding subscriptions down as assets. The balance-sheet was adopted, the executive being empowered to act on the auditor’s suggestions. RESIGNATION.

The Rev. McDonald’s resignation was accepted with regret. In speaking to the motion Mr. D. Leach said that his loss would be felt on the executive, and also in the Chamber. The chairman corroborated and said the reverend gentleman had given considerable assistance from time to time. RIVER AND WHARVES. The Ohinemuri County Council wrote asking for the Chamber’s reasons for objecting to the Thames Harbour Board getting control of the river and wharves. It was resolved that the reply be left in the hands of the president and Mr. Marshall, On the same matter the Waihi Borough Council wrote as follows: “This Council is unanimously of opinion that in order to ensure greater efficiency and more economical administration of the Waihpu River the administration should be vested in one body, preferably the body controlling the whole area, and which body should consist of representatives from every part of the district.” COMMUNITY SINGING. In view of the fact that the subcommittee appointed at last meeting had not taken any effective action m getting the community singing under way a fresh committee, consisting of Messrs. Marshall and Edwards, was appointed to take the matter in hand. FRUIT GROWING COUNTRY. Mr. D. Leach said that he had been shown very fine apples grown at Waitekauri and also near Waikino, and he thought that the country about there was excellent for the purposes of fruit-growing. He thought that as there was a Jot of idle land, it could be taken up in small, lots and planted. First of all it would be necessary to find out from the Department of Agriculture if it would send its pomologist to report. He moved, “That the Departmnet of Agriculture be requested to send its pomolpgist to report on the Waitekauri and Taieri Creek valleys for fruit-growing purposes.” Seconded by Mr. Porritt and carried. ADVERTISING COMMITTEE. In discussing the matter of adve-r tising Paeroa Mr. Marshall thought that it was far more essential to get secondary industries started. He did not favour the idea of spending a large sum of money in advertising until such time as there was something substantial to advertise. Mr. Johnstone thought that if an industry was started, that would advertise the place. No action was taken pending the report of the committee.