CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 890, 10 September 1910, Page 3

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

ANNUAE MEETING

The annual meeliug of the Foxton Chamber of Commerce was held in the Council Chamber on Thursday evening. The president (Ur. Maudl) occupied the chair and there was a bare quorum present. Alter the minutes of the previous annual meeting had been read and confirmed the President presented the following report on the work of the last twelve months ; —“Most of the work during the past year has been in connection with the endeavour to place Foxtou in the position it held many years ago, as regards being a port of entry for dutiable goods. These facilities are enjoyed by at least half-a-dozen ports, whose returns are considerably under the estimated collections which would be made here. In the initial stage the Palmerston North Chamber were luke-warm on the subject. On consideration, however, they decided to give the movement their full support. An opportunity arising during the visit of the Hon. Mr Millar to Foxton, the matter was then placed before him. The Chamber were given little encouragement with the exception that Mr Millar, former Minister for Customs, stated that these facilities were granted, provided the work could be done on a fair percentage of the incoming revenue. We found on investigation that the cost of collection ranges from Wellington at 1% per cent, to y> l /t per cent. On our computation, Foxton should easily collect its duties at from 2 to 3 per cent. It was decided to send a deputation to wait on the Palmerston merchants in order to secure their signatures to a petition. This was done, and it gives me great pleasure to state the deputation was well received. All those interviewed expressing themselves strongly in favour of the project, the principal firms giving their signatures, each promising to forward under separate cover the estimated annual amount of duty payable. Signatures were also obtained from prominent merchants in Eevin and Foxton, with the same understanding. We have to thank Mr Nash of Palmerston North, for his courtesy and for placing his time and help at our disposal, and also Mr B. R. Gardener, Mayor of Eevin, The petition has been forwarded to the Minister. Mr Newman, who was written to on the subject, has promised his support and suggested co-operating with Messrs Guthrie, Field and Buick, the members representing the districts interested, in placing the matter before the Minister, so we trust that at last, with the strong petition forwarded, the Chamber of Foxton will be recognised with something definite done. In minor matters, we are pleased to say the lighting of the wharf, in which the Chamber interested itself, is an established fact, and the agitation for a verandah at the railway station is likely to bear fruit. The Chamber, at the request of Mr McKenzie, lent their support for a better mail service to Makowhai, and we are glad to notice this has been granted. At the request of Mr Newman the Harbour Board were asked to grant a building site at the Heads for Freezing Works, the endeavour to establish which, we are pleased to see has not died and that body have notified us to the effect that they would be pleased to comply. On the request of the Marton Chamber lor a donation of £$ towards the cost of defraying the expense of preparing the map of the proposed Martou - Eevin railway, the Borough Council kindly came to our assistance and granted the amount out of unauthorised expenditure. In conclusion we would urge that the Chamber should continue the endeavour to put Foxton in the place it should hold by right of its geographical position as the distributing centre of the district.”— The report was adopted.

The statement of accounts showed tt at the Chamber had a balance of 6s qd in hand.

The President mentioned that the Chamber would have to elect another secretary as their present secretary (Mr Gordon) was about to leave Foxton. He spoke in glowing terms of the manner in which Mr Gordon had carried out his duties during his term of office. Several of the other members present also spoke in eulogistic terms of Mr Gordon’s work during the past twelve mouths, and it was decided that an appreciation of his services be recorded in the minute book, and that a letter containing the motion be signed by the President and handed to Mr Gordon. Owing to the small attendance it was decided not to go on with the election of officers for the ensuing year and the meeting was adjourned until Thursday, the 15th instant.