OTOROHANGA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 455, 10 April 1912, Page 5

OTOROHANGA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

SUCCESSFUL FIRST MEETING

Oivn Correspondent.

The first annual meeting of the Otorohanga Chamber of Commerce was held in Mr Willis' meeting room on the. evening of Thursday April 4th. There were present—Messrs J. Ormsby, W. Vicary, G. W. Hawkins, J. A. Ormsby. Clayton, Seymour, Osmond, Whyte, Worthingtuu, Clarke, Hosking, Willis, Kidson, Miller, Forster and Phillips. From the enthusiasm ahown the newly formed body ought to do well, and from the number or matters brought forward to be attended to, the chamber is going to have a really strenuous time. Judging by the matters mentioned that require attention, the formation of a Chamber of Commerce is by no means before it was wanted.

After reading the minutes of the previous meeting, when it was decided to form a chamber, the proposed rules governing that body were read to the meeting, Mr Vicary moved that no member of the Otorohanga Town Council shall be a member of the executive of the Chamber of Commerce, and if a member of the executive be elected to the Town Council he shall resign his position on the chamber executive.—Carried.

Mr Whyte, with the idea of placing the election of officers in an unprejudiced position and to minimise any pussible friction or ill feeling at any election, moved that election for the office bearers be by ballot. Mr Hosking moved as an amendment with the idea of saving time that the elections be by show of hands. After a slight discussion Mr Hosking asked permission to withdraw his amendment and the motion was put and carried, ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

The election of officers was next proceeded with. Mr Miller proposed Mr J. Willis as president. He considered t?hat Mr Willis had taken a great interest in the matter, and would make a real live president. Mr Whyte stated that Mr Willis was one of the prime movers in getting institution going, and they had on several occasions talked the matter over together. Mr Willis was also an old hand on public budies. No other nominations were received, and Mr Willis was declared president with great applause. The following other officers were appointed without op-position:—Vice-president, F. Whyte; executive, W. J. Worthington, J. A. Ormbsy, R. Green, H. Clarke and Phillips; secretary, •F. Forster; treasurer, Mr Clayton. The various officers thanked the members for their confidence, and Mr Forster said although the rules provided for the payment of secretary, he would give his services gratis, for the first year at all events.

Mr Willis as president then took charge of the meeting. DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS.

On the proposal of the president, seconded by the vice-president, the following motion was carried:—That the secretary write to the Railway Department requesting them to have the railway station connected with the telephone exchange, and to the Postal Department, requesting direct communication with l Te Awamutu, pointing out that as the direct line is already connected with Kawa at the one end, and Kio Kio at the other, a distance of only four miles remains without a wire. It was pointed out that although Te Awamutu is about the same distance away as Te Kuiti, yet the departmental charge is double the charge for 'phoning Te Kuiti. Thi3 was because Qtorohanga has no direct wire with Te Awamutu, but are connected through Hamilton and have to pay for the extra length of wire from Te Awamutu to Hamilton and then back again to Te Awamutu. Proposed by Mr Vicary, seconded by Mr Seymour, that a petition be drafted and forwarded to the Minister for Public Works, asking that the balance of the road to the Waitomo Caves from Otorohanga past Mr R. Gregg's farm be opened up. and formed. It was decided to bank all monies received,with the Te Awamutu branch of Bank of New Zealand, and to pay j all accounts by cheque only, cheques to be signed by the president and treasurer. PROPOSED TOWN HALL. Proposed by Messrs Worthingon and Seymour, that Messrs Willis, Whyte and Worthington wait upon the Town Council at their next meeting, to confer with them with respect to selecting a site for a proposed town hall, and to endeavour to expedite the builoing of the hall. GENERAL. On the proposal of Messrs Whyte and Miller, it was decided that this Chamber of Commerce place on record its appreciation of the result of the loan proposal poll, which has been unanimously carried, and that the secretary write to the council to that effect.

Proposed by Messrs Willis and Clarke, that the Railway Department be written to asking them to have the noxious and unsightly weeds removed from the approach to the mam entrance to the station. A MORGUE REQUIRED. It way also decided to write to the. Town Council requesting them to use their influence with the Department of Justice, to provide, a morgu? for this township, when they are building their new police station.