PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT AT OTOROHANGA.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 453, 3 April 1912, Page 3

PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT AT OTOROHANGA.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FORMED. Own Correspondent. A public meeting was held in Mr Willis' meeting room on Friday afternon to consider the matter of forming a Chamber of Commerce. Mr W. Vicary thought the time had arrived when a chamber should be formed. He wan a member of the local branch of the Farmers' Union, and would like to emphasise the amount of good that body had done in the district. No one not connected with that body could form any idea of the matters that the union had taken a hand in. However, the district was progressing so fast that he thought the outside people could keep the union going, but what was needed now wa: a body that was in keeping with the town and whose members would be easily called together should any matter for discussion suddenly arise, Mr Wiilis said he was a great believer in a Chamber of Commerce, and had been agitating for some time to have one formed here. He thought this chamber would be of great advantage to the township in the way of looking to matters.that required -attention and in asissting the Town Board with various matters. Mr Whyte considered the Chamber of Commerce would do good and lasting work, and while not interfering with the Town Board in its administrative work would be able to asisst and co-operate with the board in securing many much-needed reforms. Mr Jno. Ormsby said he did not know personally about the workings of a Chamber of Commerce, but thought they did a lot of good. He stated he had been a member of the King Country Progressive League, which had started many about ten years ago and that had done much good before any councils were formed. Then tne Farmers' Union was formed and that body had done a great amount of good also. Matters in Otorohanga seemed to be becoming more progressive and he thought a Chamber of Commerce would help to keep the ball rolling. After a number of gentlemen had spoken in similar strain, Mr Willis proposed that a Chamber of Commerce be formed, to be called "The Otorohanga Chamber of Commerce, IncorDerated."

In seconding the motion Mr Vicary submitted a list of about 60 names of people that he thought would join. All that Otorohanga wanted was a progressive body to push matters on. He had always said that the country surrounding Otorohanga was better adapted for dairying than any other place that he knew of, and he had been dairying for twenty years. The motion was carried unanimously, with enthusiasm. On the proposal of Messrs Willis and Fors*er, it was decided that the executive shall consist of a president vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and five members.

Mr Forster was elected secretary pro tem, and Mr Vicary treasurer. Correspondence on the method of forming a Chamber of Commrece was received from the secretary of Te Awamutu Chamber of Commerce, together with a copy of their rules, and it was decided to have the same set of rules with suitable alterations. About fourteen present at the meeting handed in their names for membership, and the secretary is to write to a number of people informing them that the first annual meeting will be held on April 4th, 1912, when the Chamber of Commerce will come into existence. Judging by the number of matters that members brought forward and put on the order paper, for the first meeting, the newly-formed association is going to have plenty of work to keep it going for some time. One member brought up a very urgent matter, and that is concerning a new town hall. There had been a public meeting months ago with the idea of forming a company to build a hall, but the Town Board said they preferred to build a hall themselves, and it was left to them to do so. They have not done so yet, and they are taking a poll of ratepayers for money to metal the streets, but no mention is made about a hall. Mr Jno. Ormsby said, as chairman of the Town Board, he had applied to the Government, but they bad refused a loan for the hall and given no reason. The board had intended to go on with the matter and not allow it to drop, but they had had a lot of other matters to attend to.