CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

North Otago Times, Volume CVII, Issue 17748, 9 March 1927, Page 2

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

MEETING OF EXECUTIVE. The executive of the Oamaru Chamber of Commerce met last evening. Present: Messrs B. B. Walton (chairman), D. L. Patteirson, J. T. Calder, A. Hamilton, J. M. Wilson and S. C. Doyle. The question of urging the Government to grant a direct suhsidy on manures was held over till next nieeting when representatives of the Farmers' Union were expected to be present. The chairman remarked that j there were other languishing in- i custries that could also do with as- ; fcistauce from the CV» \e.ri;ment. Mr CaMer repoMod th&t the. stati.onmastcr had p; ep&raii a concise tahle of times. The matter of a cenlrai dcput ibr pi-i eels was unr!rr conside/aiion.. Mr Doyle pointed out that the Department would have to put a man in charge of a central depot and it would be costly. He thought the privilege might be abused. The huses would only carry a limited [ nuniber of light parcels and it was left to his discretidn whether bulky parcels were takei:» Mr Wilson instanced a privatelyowned bus carrying large parcels. Mr Doyle said all passengers and their luggage went by bus arM little room was left for the carrlage of -• goods. ' Mr Calder stSggested that the De- ! partment should issue left luggage \ labels so that shopkeepers could j Ieave small parcels in safe keeping until the time of the buses' departure. He thought the buses could be fitted to carry more than they did at the present time. Mr Doyle said that if the serviice were extended a depot for parcels would probably be established, but the drivers would not be authorised Lo accept parcels. Replying tq Mr Wilson, Mr Doyle said that, strictly speaking, parcels taken by passengers' should be paid for. The Department allowed absolutely no concessions where the buses were concerned but they were prepared to meet anyone in the case of hardship. The chairman said that, as far as he could gatber, the majority of the people using the buses were quite satisfied. Mr Wilson: I ara sure business people realise that the Department is out to help them all it can. The North Otago -b.ranch of the Farmers' Union advised that Messrs R. B. Meek and A. Murray had been appointed to attend meetings of the executives. A letter was received from a London firm, asking to be put in todch with business hous'es not represented in England for the sale of their produce and other exports. The c'hairman said the great majority of the farmers were selling their produce on the ground. 0Mr Patterson , stated that New Zealand was practically in a position to rule the wool market. About 70 per cent of the wool grown here was sold at auction and the balance shipped. A few years ago the reverse was the case. The Railway Board sent notice that the erection of fhe hoarding in Itchen Street was not being proceeded wth. — Received.

A Gloomy Ontlook. The chairman: I suppose business people would welcome a talk on how to improve trade generally. Mr Walton added that there would probably 'be a lot of uneniployment this winter as ' it had been many years since there had been so much stagnation in the markets. To-day 5s a bushel was being offered for wheat and they had had suph favourable weather in Canterbury that the whole of the wheat was coming pn to the market at the same time. Good white cats were being offered at 2s 2d a bushel but there were no buyers. , Although there had been a great volume of feed in November and December the rapei amj turnip crops were practically a failure and farmers were experiencing difficulty in fattening tlfieir lambs.