CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4994, 30 June 1926, Page 3

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

ANNUAL MEETING. The annua,! meeting of the Paeroa Chamber of Commerce was held on Monday night, the president (Mr P. Williams) presiding over an attendance df 20 members. ANNUAL REPORT. The annual report was read by the secretary (Mr E. A. Porritt) as follows :— “Your Committee reports that during the last year the Chamber has met on seven different occasions, and in additoin to many minor matters .has dealt with a, number of matters of importance to Pa.eroa. and the surrounding district, the chief of which are as follows: Extension of telephone exchange hours and improved service ; licensing ; loan proposals for improved roading in the Netherton Riding; municipal chambers loan proposal ; suitable publicity for Paeroa and district in the Government tourist guide book; Paeroa hospital; public crushing battery at Karangahake and assistance to prospectors. “During the year a request was made to the Post and Telegraph Department to extend the hours of the Pa.eroa exchange ’from 6 a.m. to midnight, and it is pleasing to record that the request was acceded to. The Chamber was also successful in securing better telephone connections with Hikutaia for doctors, the installation of a telephone in the railway goods-shed, and the removal of certain letter-boxes to more suitable positions. An unsuccessful attempt was made to have a penny-in-the-slot public telephone, installed on the railway station platform. Your Committee suggests that this 1 matter should be again urged during the year, as this convenience is urgently required by the travelling public. “After due consideration your Chamber decided to support, the loan proposals oV the Ha,uraki Plains County Council for improved reading ih the Netherton riding. It is l pleasing to note that the proposals were, carried by a substantial majority, and t.hat the work was early put in hand. As a result of this, Wilson’s Road is now metalled, and the benefit of such improved road access' is very apparent this winter. “The Paeroa Borough Council placed before your Chamber all information concerning the loan proposal to borrow £2OOO for the erection of new municipal chambers. After due consideration your Chamber undertook to support the proposal. The thanks of the Chamber are due to His Worship the Mayor and Council for the opportunity given to members of this Chamber to thus fully consider the proposal. “Considerable attention was given during the year to the question of publicity 'and advertising. Suitable and reliable information concerning the district was compiled and excellent photographic views obtained of points df interest, notably the Waitawheta and Karangahake gorges and the Paeroa Domain. The whole was forwarded to the Government Publicity Department for inclusion in the N.Z. Tourist Guide Handbook. . “The erection of the Paeroa hospital received the serious consideration of your Chamber, and the Minister for Health was repeatedly urged to adhere to his decision- to erect the hospital in brick. It is pleading to record that the Minister for Health recently appointed has announced his intention to stand by the previous decision of his department, and it is hoped that the erection of this hospital in brick will shortly be authorised by the Thames Hospital Board. “Towards the latter part of the year your Chamber received a deputation of miners from Ka.rang'a,hake which urged upon the Chamber the necessity of a public crushing battery at Karangahake. Your Chamber agreed to take the matter in hand, and arranged for the miners at Karangahake to meet the member for the district, Mr A. M. Samuel, to put their ca.se before him. At this meeting his' support was readily forthcoming, and through his efforts a visit to Karangahake by the Hon. Minister for Mines was arranged, and has since been held. Your Committee is df opinion that this matter should not be allowed to drop during the coming year, but should be steadily urged upon the Mines Department. “The thanks of this Chamber are also due to Mr A. M. Samuel for the active support and .assistance he has rendered in this direction. “Your Committee also suggest that the. question of a district court for Ohinemuri at the Auckland Winter Exhibition should 'receive the fullest, consideration of the Chamber during the year, and that an endeavour should be made to have this district represented if possible. “With reference to the balancesheet : Your Committee has pleasure in sta.ting that the Chamber is' able to show a credit balance of £l4 2s lOd, liabilities nil, and a surplus of assets over liabilities of £2O 2s lOd. There are still subscriptions outstanding of £4 up to March 31, 1925, of which £3 are considered doubtful and which ybur Committee recommends should be written off. Also outstanding on March 31, 1926, £5 lOfe, of which 10s is considered doubtful and which your Committee recommends should be written off.

“As it is. quite clear that this satisfactory position can only be maintained provided all subscriptions are paid promptly, your Committee requests that members Will keep this fact steadily in view.

“Under the. rules, Messrs Marshall, Leach, Hare, and Gorrie retire from the committee. Mr Gorrie does not seek re-election. Messrs 1 Marshall, Leach, and Hare are eligible for reelection.

“A vote of tha,nks is due to Mr Steedman, the auditor; to the Ohinemuri County Council, 'for the use of its buildings far meetings; and to the Hauraki Plains Gazette for the manner in which it has reported the various meetings. “It is a matter of regret that your Committee has to record the fact that the attendance at the various' meetings has fallen off considerably

during the year. We are all working for the advancement and betterment of the town and district, a,nd it is indeed unfortunate for ma.ny of our members .are prepared to leave the work to a few willing workers all the time. It is hoped that members will view this criticism in a proper spirit, and will endeavour by their regular attendance at meetings to give the Chamber whole,-hearted co-operation and support. It is only by a full discussion on all matters brought forward that the best decisions can be ma.de and the best results obtained. “Your Committee feels that Paeroa has advanced well on the road of progress during the last year, and a,ll members' c/f this chamber are; urged to use their best endeavours in the future to further this progressive movement.”

In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet Mr P. E. Brenan said that the bala.nce-sheet showed a satisfactory position. It was pleasing to see the interest taken in the affairs of the chamber by the postmaster (Mr W. E. Ward), and it was hoped that the stationmaster (Mr W. P. Payne) would also be prevailed upon to take a lively interest in the progress of the town. Mr Brenan added that he wished .to congratulate the secretary on the preparation of the report. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The following officers were duly elccted'for the ensuing twelvemonths: President. MrP. Williams (re-ejected); vice-president, Mr H. J. Hare.; executive committee, Messrs W. Marshall, D. Leach, P. E. B'renan, W. E, Wa.rd, R. S. Carden, E. Edwards, F, E, Flatt, E. W, Porrit; auditor, Mr A. F. Steedman. GENERAL MEETING. At the conclusion of the annual meeting a. general meeting of members was held. MINING INFORMATION. In connection with the recent visit of the Minister of Mines to Karangahake, the attorney for the N.Z. Crown Mines Co., Ltd., forwarded a schedule of all leaders and ore bodies proved to exist on the company’s property. It was Suggested that the chamber collect similar information of other sections on the goldfields, such as the old Talisman area, the Imperial, and the Mangakino Creek watershed, as it might influence the Minister of Mines in the direction of assisting the movement towards 'renewed prospecting and crushing facilities. After discussion a, sub-committee comprising Messrs Morris, Leach, Flatt, and Gwilliam was set up to obtain additional information for the purpose of sending it to the Minister. WAIHI-PAEROA SERVICE. Mr G. P. de Castro suggested that the Wajhi-Paeroa bus service might be induced to reach Paeroa earlier in the afternoon. At the present time passengers had about twenty minutes only between the afternoon trains to do any shopping. The matter was referred to the executive.