CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4567, 23 May 1923, Page 2

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

JUMPED INTO NEW LIFE. The adjourned meeting of the Paeroa Chamber of Commerce was held in the Coronation Chambers last, evening. There was an attendance of thirty-five members, which constituted a record attendance for som?. years. Mt E. W. Porritt, president, occupied the chair. He stated that at the annual meeting of the Chamber held a week previously, the fact had been disclosed that its financial position was in a bad state, and needed, looking into. A sub-committee had been f.ormed to go into the matter, and he was very pleased to he able to inform the meeting that inside the week no less than 34 new members had joined the Chamber, the majority of who had already paid their annual subscription. A number of last year’s outstanding subscriptions had also been collected. The president said he ■trusted that the new members would attend the meetings of the Chamber regularly and take part in its discussions. It was quite open foi a member to bring forward any matter for the good of the town or district for disesusion. It would be welcomed. Continuing, the president said that while canvassing for new members during the week the sub-committee had been asked by quite a number of people, “What had the Chamber of Commerce done for Paeroa and the district ?” He was pleased to be able tp inform the new members that the Chamber had accomplished a number of matters of great importance to the community. One of the first benefits brought about by that body was the inauguration of the Thames Valley Eflectric Power Board. This had been made possible by the great help rendered by Mr G. Buchanan. There was no doubt, that the advent of electric power and lighting had been a decided benefit to the community.

Again, for many years the land between Tapu and Coromandel had been tied up and unworkable, said Mr Porritt. The Chamber had been instrumental in getting legislation brought down, making those lands available for settlement. The whole of the vast area of country held under Hauraki pastoral lease had been made freehold. These lands had formerly lain idle. Through the efforts of the Chamber this land was now taken up by settlers and was i?ate-producing. Then, again, outside a mile of Paeroa there had been a sort- of magic ring of idle land, owing to mining claim reserves. The Chamber had moved determinedly in this matter, with the result that a large tract of that land was now a series of prosperous farms, as evidenced ; on the Waihi Plains. The Chamber had also by its efforts been able to have Wilson’s Road put through, said the speaker, therebybringing Nether,ton. one and a half niiles nearer to Paeroa and had made the Awaiti Settlement possible. The Chamber of Commerce was also to be credited with the inauguration of the daily mail and passenger service between Paeroa and the Hauraki Plains. Previous to this being done, all mail had to go to Thames by train and then across to the Plains by launch, the time occupied being three or four days for the delivery of a letter. When the Borough Council had instituted its sewerage scheme, said Mr Porritt, the Chamber had thrown its weight into the project and had rendered the Council considerable help. Another important matter which it had taken up with zest, was the defeat of the Thames Harbour loan proposal. Had this proposal .- been carried it would have been a serious affair to the people of Paeroa. Preferential rates would have been levied on thousands pf tons of goods. The river improvement scheme would have been lost sight of, and the Paeroa-Pokeno railway would have received a very severe setback. The president said that doubtlessly it would interest the meeting to know that, the tonnage of goods passed over the Paeroa wharf was considerably in excess of the tonnage over the Thames wharf. The Chamber had successfully petitioned to have the pillar postal boxes erected in the streets of Paeroa, and had also been effective in inducing the Post and Telegraph Department to provide better and more adequate facilities for the delivery of mails.

The Chamber was endeavouring to obtain a direct road through to Patetonga, which would bring that town some nine miles nearer to Paeroa, thereby enabling children from that district to come daily to the Paeroa High School. Mr Porritt said that, he had heard it remarked in another town that the Chamber of Commerce was the watch clog of the borough’s . activities. He suggested that this remark might apply also to Paeroa. There were many otherthings the Chamber had taken up and put through successfully for the benefit of Paeroa.

In conclusion, he cnogartulated the new members on atending their first meeting, and trusted that they would th’-ow their weight and energies into the proposals and discussions for the welfare and prosperity of Paeroa and surrounding districts.

Fully 3000 people were in the Town Hall at Wellington on Sunday night, when Sir Harry Lauder, at the request of the Y.M.C.A., delivered an address on “Friendship.” He dealt with the condition of the peoples of the world, the necessity for making friends, the evils arising from agitators and slackers, and the necessity for affection and application. The speaker disclaimed any desire to preach because he had so much to learn himself, but he appealed to hi? hearers to be thrifty, Industrious, and self-sacrificing, to be friendly with their neighbours and helpful with their friends. He said he was going to speak against war as long as he lived. They could all be of great service in the world if they could only take the other fellow ihto their confideiice and have faith in the future. The address lasted three-quarters of an hour, and concluded amidst appreciative applause, For Influenza, take Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure.