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Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXII, Issue 2790, 15 May 1911, Page 3

support and co-operation of a greater number of the residents, feeling sure that by the adoption of this course and by the recognition on the part of all the inhabitants of our community of interest, the progress of Paeroa will be materially hastened and it will the sooner attain to the proud position ot being the premier town in the district, which position, we feel sure, it is destined to occupy." . BALANCE-SHEET. The balance - sheet -showed the receipts for the year to have been £17 17s. The expenditure had been ,£l4 933 d, leaving a credit balance of ,£3 7s 9d, which was just about absorbed by the outstanding accounts. Members expressed their pleasure at the satisfactory state of affairs, and on the motion of Messrs Nicholas and Hanna the balance-sheet was adopted. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The President moved that Mr E. W. Porritt be appointed president for the ensuing year, and there being no other nomination, Mr Porritt was unanimously elected to the position. Other officers were elected as follows : —Vice-president, Mr W. McWatters; treasurer, Mr E. V. Quick ; committee, Messrs Hanna, Nicholas, Adnams, cte Castro, Dixon, Brunskill, and Towers. MrW. McWatters (the retiring president) thanked the members for the courteous and helpful manner in which they had assisted him during the past year, and bespoke for his successor the same kindly help. THE ADDRESS. Mr E. W. Porritt returned thanks to the members for electing him to the position of president of the Chamber. He said that during his absence down south he had kept in touch with Paeroa matters through the medium of the local paper, and he had thought the inauguration of the Chamber of Commerce to be a step in the right direction, and he recognised the good the Chamber had accomplished for Paeroa and the surrounding district. During the past year the Chamber had covered a good deal of ground, and had done so with success, and what had been done had been for the good of the district as a

whole. There would be some important work for the Chamber during the com-

ing year, but the most pressing question was that relating to the settlement of the Native lands in the district. They might also'have to consider the question of the settlement of the Crown lands in the district that had been set aside for mining, but had been found to be found worthless for that purpose, and were now lying idle. The question of County representation might also come up again. Probably the members of the County Council in fixing the representation and boundaries of the ridings had acted in what they thought the best interests of the district, but whetever their motives had been, he knew that their action had caused a great amount of

dissatisfaction. Several people had spoken to him about the matter, some proposing that Paeroa be formed into a Borough, while others thought the County should be divided into two parts —mining and agriculture—but he was not at present in favour of either scheme.

It was better to have the whole County under one body at the present time. The question of representation was going to come up again this year, and it would need to be considered by the Chamber. In conclusion, Mr Porritt said be recognised that the tact and ability shown by Mr McWatters during the past year had entitled him to" a second term as president, and it was not until Mr McWatters had informed him that he would not seek re-election that he (the speaker) had consented to nomination. He again thanked the members for electing him to the position of president, and moved that a hearty vote of thanks he accorded to Mr McWatters for the able manner in which he had conducted the business of the Chamber during the past year. The motion was carried by acclamation. MEETING NIGHT. It was decided that the monthly meetings of the Chamber be held on M the third Tuesday in each month. NOTICE OF MOTION. Mr Hanna gave notice of his intention to move that tne Chamber consider the question of asking for a re-valtration of the County or of the Paeroa Riding. This being all the business, the meeting concluded with the usual vote of thanks to the chair.