OTOROHANGA.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 732, 23 December 1914, Page 5

OTOROHANGA.

Own Correspondent,

The monthly meeting of the Otorohanga Chamber of Commerce was hßld in Mr Phillips' office on Tuesday last. There wera.fbout sixteen members present, Mr'W. H. Clarke, president, ia the chair. The balance-sheet ahowed the satisfactory amount of £l7 9s standing to the Chamber's credit—A proposition by Messrs C. Phillips —P- D- Hargreaves, "that this Chamber take steps to have the Waitomo County Council's by-laws, in " connection with heavy traffic amended," was fully discussed. Mr Hargreaves spoke at length in support of the proposition, which was eventually carried. A committee consisting of trie president and Messrs Phillips and Willis was appointed to go into the question fully and report at next meeting.—Mr F. Phillips read a circular which had been sent out to all Chambers of Commerce and other bodies, in the Auckland province, dealing with the system of acquiring native laoda, and the valuation the Government placed on them. The Chamber decided to ask the Government Lands Valuation Commission, now sitting, to visit Otorohanga or Ta Kuiti. The executive was authorised to obtain evidence to put befora the Commission and make all necessary arrangements, also to meet the delegates from the Native Leaseholders' Association and discuss the matter.—As tha Kawa bridge and the Otorohanga Town Hall try. _ w ill be completed about the same time, it was decided to endeavour to get the County Council, the Town Council, Chamber of Commerce and Thousand Club to combine and have both openings performed by the Minister of Public Works on the same day, if possible. "We are sorry to have to report the death of Mr W. H. Clayton, landlord of Otorohanga House, who" passed away at the Hamilton Hospital on Wednesday morning last. Deceased had been in a very poor health for some considerable time past, suffering severely from internal troubles, bo that his death did not come as a surprise to those who knew him. Mr Clayton was a highly respected resident of the town in the progress of which he took a keen interest. Ho was unmarried and was a brother of Lady Vogel »nd a cousin of Mrs Arthur Nathan, of Auckland. The funeral, which was largely attended, took place on Friday at Otorohanga, the Rev. Piggot officiating. Many beautiful wreaths were sent by sympathising friends. Messrs Green and Colebrook, Ltd., have iust opened tbeir new branch store at Otewa, with Mr V. Griffiths in charge. This should prove a great boon to settlers in that district saving them, as it will, a journey of six or seven miles into Otorohanga. The Government are paying out to natives at Otorohanga on Wednesday, about £6OOO. This is in connection with blocks A and B Rangitoto purchased by the Government. The business people in the town are lookinc forward to a busy veek, as there are some 200 Otorohanga natives mhas forwarded the sum of £* 2 t0 Wellington, being amount collected for the shilling Beln CiOMren's Xmas Toy Fund. /0