A BUSINESS CENTRE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4644, 4 January 1924, Page 2

A BUSINESS CENTRE.

FUTURE OF PAEROA.

PRINCIPLES FOR SUCCESS.

Christmas Eve and the last week have been remarkable for the vast amount of business transacted ia Pampa. Generally speaking, the business dune has eclipsed that of previous years. While, perhaps, there has not been such an abundance of money as in the boom years, and while there ha:; been more care and discrimination in buying, there has possibly been more loyalty to our town in the increased buying in Paeroa than was in evidence last year. The growth in local business has been a gratifying feature of the recent holiday season, and i.t is good for both district and town that the people should recognise, generally speaking, that they can shop to better advantage in Paeroa than in Auckland, Thames, or Hamilton—that is, when the trai’i and boat fares, loss of time, and, above all, the indirect injury done to their own town, and thus to their own interests, are taken into account. The recent holiday season was specially because of the increased .spirit of local business loaylty and the steadily rising tide of optimism that have been apparent during the last few weeks.

At this beginning of the New Year, a suggestion for our business men and .the Chamber of Commerce is that they could take no better guiding principles than those of loyalty and optimism. The need of tlie practical recognition of these business virtues has been painfully evident to most business men, and many and loud have been the complaints voiced against the amount of shopping done outside the town by townspeople and farmers. No one has been more to blame for this unsatisfactory practice than some of the complainers. It is largely a matter of “Physician, heal thyself.” The principle of loyalty to Paeroa is one that requires practical exemplification in the preacher of virtue as well as in the hearer. Let the local business men buy all they can from the settlers in such few lines as settlers have for local sale, and as they expect good prices for their goods,.let them give the settlers good prices in return. 'ln the recognition of mutual obligation and co-operation the business prosperity of Paeroa and the welfare of the district generally can be advanced very considerably. This is a wonderfully fertile and,,prosperous district, of which Paeroa is the natural centre, and nothing but the folly of our local business men will prevent Paeroa from becoming the business centre its position warrants. But there must be loyalty—loyalty not only on the pant of farmers and local residents, but also on the part of our business men—if this success is to be attained.