BUSINESS MEN MEET.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5507, 29 November 1929, Page 3

BUSINESS MEN MEET.

LOCAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE GENERAL BUSINESS. At the quarterly meeting of the Paeroa Chamber of Commerce held on Tuesday evening the president, Mr P. Williams, presided over a large attendance. Commerce Train. The president stated that the chamber had aided in welcoming the Auckland Chamber of Commerce 1929 commerce train in a' fitting manner, and Mr W. Marshall added that the visitors had been distinctly impressed by the enthusiastic reception accorded them despite things said to the contrary previous to their arrival. Meetings. Mr J. McLean considered that instead of quarterly meetings the chamber should meet once a month. With quarterly meetings the chamber’s existence lost its desired effect, whilst monthly gatherings meant that the members would keep in touch and be ready for matters which they had to be alive to. A three months’ interval between meetings meant enthusiasm dying down. Mr Williams stated that at the last meeting the chamber decided to meet quarterly, and if anything urgent arose in the interim to meet as the occasion warranted. Mr McLean thought that with monthly meetings members could bring forward ideas that had occurred to them before interest flagged. Too long a wait, and they might forget the matter altogether. No one would like to tell the secretary to call a special meeting so that the member could expound a single idea. ' t Mr Marshall pointed out that the difficulty in the past had been nonattendance. If it was possible to sustain interest the chamber should certainly meet monthly, or even fortnightly for that matter if business warranted. But with no business ’offering interest would flag, and the chamber would lapse back into oblivion. Mr D. Leach said he agreed with Mr McLean’s points, and if it waS proved that interest could be sustained he would support his motion. In the meantime it would be wiser to hold the* meetings quarterly. Mr McLean emphasised his opinion that more frequent meetings were desirable. “If you belong to a thing, he said, “belong to it in earnest; otherwise stop at home.” > Mr/W. H. Taylor, in supporting Mr McLean’s suggestion, said that when people got together, even to promote the most rudimentary often great things arose from them. “Surely” he continued, “if you have any interest in your town, if it is not worth . attending a meeting every month it is not worth while supporting it quarterly.” ■ . Mr H. A. Mills said from his experience with farmers’ unions he »found that when there was real business to be done members would attend. When business fell off attendance did also. Thus if monthly meetings were held with no important agenda before them interest would flag. Mr C. N. O’Neill considered that if it was attempted to flog interest the enthusiasm would very soon fail. It would be a pity to force matters, especially as the executive committee was powerful enough to deal with any ordinary subjects between meetings. Mr Leach at this juncture asked Mr McLean' to withdraw his motion for the present, to see how things went. In future, if circumstances warranted, he for one would support the motion. In withdrawing bis motion Mr McLean said he was not trying to force the subject. He was only making a suggestion in what he considered was the chamber’s interests. In the meantime he would withdraw his proposal until a later date. ' Insurance. Mr Leach stated that he was prepared, to lay before the chamber any time it so desired an insurance scheme which was in operation between a body,of bakers in New Zealand. Roads. The Thames-Te Aroha road came in for some criticism when Mr McLean opened the subject by declaring that roads into towns advertisedHhe towns, and stated that there was no worse road anywhere he had been than the one from Hikutaia to Paeroa, and thence to Te Aroha. He suggested that the assistance of other chambers and local bodies interested be sought in an endeavour to make the Highways Board do more than offer a, £ for & subsidy. The chamber should take the matter up seriously. It was of vital importance. Better roads meant better trade, and a man who had to come rattling over stones to a town would not come ; he would go elsewhere over smooth roads. Mr McLean considered that Paeroa should be boosted as a town second to none in the country, with a great future ahead of it. Mr Mills mentioned that the maintenance of Netherton roads as well to expensive, and expensive as well to car users through their tyres. The riding representative on the Hauraki Plains County Council had submitted a scheme to that body to seal so much a year of the roads, until in not many years all would be done. The Highways Board would only subsidise £ for £. The chamber should move to secure a higher subsidy. Mi- Marshall gave a warning that one had to tread warily. The Highways Board allowed £2 for £1 for maintenance. It was of no use going to the Highways Board unless the local body said what it was prepared to put up, and in saying that the local body had to consider its ratepayers. He considered, however, that the Highways Board should certainly be asked to seal the road from the Puke bridge to the borough, as it had taken that portion over from the Ohinemuri County Council. He believed the weight of the chamber would help there. With a general attack it would get nowhere. Mr McLean thought that if they made enough row they must get something. He recommended that the executive go into the matter and try and

devise something that would carry weight. As an example of what could be done he quoted the Hikutaia-Coro-mandel road. Mr Marshall remarked that no matter how much row one kicked up, one had to be sure of facts. The interests of the ratepayers had to be watched. As far as the Thames road was concerned, the ratepayers of Thames County were saddled the highest of any in New Zealand. Mr P. E. Brenan moved that the chamber communicate with the Highways Board requesting that consideration be given to sealing the road from the Puke bridge to the borough. That would be something they could legitimately kick up a row about. The Ohinemuri County Council’s finances were low, but latterly, with the assistance of the Highways Board, it had been trying hard to better its roads. Recently contracts had been let for the Paeroa-Hikutaia and Paeroa-Te Aroha roads. This fact showed that the Ohinemuri County Council, after some backward years, was trying to advance as far as the interests of the ratepayers made it compatible. Mr McLean, remarking that he wanted time to think about it, said he would bring the subject up again later.