CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 371, 11 April 1908, Page 2

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

A general meeting of the Chamber, convened by the President,was held in the Secretary’s office on Thursday evening last, to discuss harbour board matters. The President (MrP. J. Heunessy) occupied the chair, and there were about 20 members present. The President stated that he had called the meeting with a view to placing the position in reference to Harbour Board matters before the Chamber, He had adopted this cause as a result of a letter received from Mr Stevens, M.P. which suggested a deadlock.

Ur Maudl rose, to a point of order, and said if this was a general meeting the minutes of the last meeting should be read, and then members who had not been apprised of what the Council had clone recently, in reference to Harbour Board matters, could be informed.

The Chairman did not think it necessary to r rise points of order, the Harbour Board question was of vital iinpo: lance, and he was prepared to place the matter before the mecliiig. He then called upon Mr Barnard to read the letter received from Mr Stevens, which was as follows :

” Messrs Moore and Barnard, Solicitors, Foxton, —Dear Sirs, — fn reply to your letter of the 4th inst.. respecting formation of the proposed harbour hoard at Foxton, I desire to say that the position appears to be as follows: In the first place, the Minister recommended the deputation of the Chamber of Commerce to form the Harbour Board. In reply to that suggestion, the Chamber of Commerce, through its Chairman, Mr Henuessy, obtained information and data as to whether dr not the Harbour Board should be formed at Foxton. The Chamber decided to form a Harbour Board, and asked that certain Government reserves and railway wharf, foreshore, in that locality, and all appurtenances belonging to Foxton Harbour, together with the foreshore on the south bank of the Manawatu River as far as Hartley’s Bend, should all be made over by the Government to the Harbour Board when brought into existence. I wrote to the Minister of Marine, at the instance of Mr Hennessy, asking that the reserves and foreshores shonld be made over to the Harbour Board, but no reply has been received saying whether the Government can, or will, vest the whole, or any portion of the reserves in the proposed Board. Therefore I consider that it would be premature to go to the expense of having a survey made of landed property, which may never come into the possession of the board. It appears, therefore, that there is no alternative but to wait the decision of Cabinet, which will in due course be conveyed by the Minister to nfyself. Of course it is irritating to private persons of ordinary business capacity to be compelled to wait for the circuitous methods of Government departments, but as the Minister has been asked to move the Department of Fands in this question, it theretore means that we have to await the pleasure of two departments, instead of, the Marine Department only. I shall, of course, continue to make enquiries at reasonable periods as to when the matter will be finally dealt with.—Yours truly, John Stevens.”

After the letter had been read an animated discussion took place during which the Chairman vacated the chair. It was finally resolved) on the motion of Mr Alf. Fraser, to wait upon Mr Stevens and discuss the matter and the meeting then terminated. A deputation consisting of Messrs P. Heunessy, Dr. Mandl, Fraukland, Tevett, Hornblow and Barnard waited upon Mr Stevens at the Post Office Hotel yesterday morning and as a result of the conference. Mr Stevens forwarded a lengthy message to the Minister of Marine with the object ascertaining the nature of endowments to be vested in the Board. As soon as a reply is received the Chamber will be communicated with by Mr Stevens and if it is then thought advisable a deputation will proceed to Wellington to wait upon the Minister in order to ensure the passage of the bill through the House this sesion. The deputation thanked Mr Stevens for his advice and assistance and retired.