ADVANCING THE PLAINS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4801, 23 January 1925, Page 3

ADVANCING THE PLAINS.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FORMED INITIAL WORK AT NGATEA. For some time past ther has been a feeling abroad that much good could be done for the district of Hauraki Plains by forming an association of the business men and all others interested in its progress. It was realised that there were already organisations of farmers and ratepayers with somewhat similar objects, but it was thought that with the formation of a chamber of commerce all branches of the community could work towards the same end through their own organisations or together when the need arose. The originators of the proposal were not antagonistic to the other organisations, but were of the opinion that a great widening of the sphere of operations could be effected by organising the unrepresented section.

The idea was first mooted on Thursday, January 8, when four Ngatea men discussed the proposition and agreed to call a meeting for Saturday, January 10. Sixteen men— mostly business men of Ngatea—attended, and it was enthusiastically decided to form a Hauraki Plains Chamber of Commerce. Officers were elected, and the secretary was instructed to write to the Association of N.Z. Chambers of Commerce and ask if a chamber could be formed.

A reply, which was read at the toitnightly executive meeting on Tuesday evening, expressed pleasure that the commercial men of the district had seen the wisdom of taking the step, and stated that considerable benefit would accrue through then association.

Replies were also received from other ch,ambers of commer.ee offering congratulations on the step taken and assistance in regard to establishing the chamber on a sound basis. One of the matters engaging the .attention of the executive concerned th.) definition of the boundaries of the township of Ngatea.

It was' pointed out that as a township had not been laid out there was a danger of the town becoming a straggling one, extending ni several directions, unless efforts were made to induce centralisation. In this connection a town-planning scheme would be desirable to control the opening of streets Several streets were already surveyed off, and would probably be opened in the near future. The centralisation of the to.wnship would bo materially affected byt he site of the railway station, as businesses would gravitate in that direction, and new (streets would probably require to be opened.

As far as could be ascertained, it was stated, there was no reason why the station could not be establishel much nearer the centre of the. township than the alternative sites under consideration. No alteration in the route would be necessary to bring the station was a matter of concern to quartei nearer. The nearness of the station awe a matter of concern to the Dairy Company, which would, be the biggest individual user, as no matter- what the shipping freights were reduced to, coal and butter boxes would always come by rail. By the time the line was opened the factory would possibly have extended to such an extent as to warrant the laying down of a private siding.

Figures in connection with the amount of rfeight likely to be effected would be useful, so. the secretary was instructed to approach the Dairy Company, and also point out to it the saving in haulage that would be effected by having the (Station established at the point on the line nearest the factory.

Out of the preceding discussion arose the question of when the railway would be commenced, and it was decided to make representations to the Auckland Railways League and other influential bodies and ask for their co-operation in expediting the matter.

The provision of better facilities for conducting banking business was also dijscussed, and it was decided to S ask the Bank of New Zealand to establish a permanent branch in the township.

In connection with a suggested extension of the township lighting scheme, the secretary was instructed to ascertain the position from the committee controlling the matter.