THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 48, 18 September 1924, Page 2

THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

ERECTION OF POLICE , STATION. Direct Road to Selwyn. This month’s meeting of the Putaruru Chamber of Commerce was held in the Oddfellows’ room, Yandle’s Buildings, on Monday evening. There were present: Messrs. F. C. Barnett (president), J. M. Spear, C. G. Alcorn, J. H. Morris, J. Barr Brown, A. Begbie, Collett junr., G. E. Martin and A. H. Dukeson, junr. (secretary). NIGHT TRAIN TO CITY IMPRACTICABLE. In reply to the chambers support for the Matamata and Te Aroha proposals for a night train from Frankton to Auckland on arrival at Frankton of the evening trains from Rotorua and ’Thames, the Minister for Railways, the Hon. J. G. Coates, wrote that the suggestion was imprac- < ticable, as such a night train would arrive in Auckland about I p.m., when no trains were running and all hotels and boarding houses were closed. Under the circumstances it was considered that few passengers would take advantage of the night train, which would therefore most likely be a financial failure. POLICE STATION GRANT. “ I am in receipt of your letter of the 30th ultimo, and beg to inform you that the matter of police buildings will not be lost sight of when the Public Works Estimates are under consideration,” wrote the Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister for Justice. “ The question of affording more police protection will be considered apart from that of building new quarters.” The letter was received, members intimating that they thought this very satisfactory. A letter from Mr. F. F. Hockly, M.P., for the district, was also received, stating that in accordance with the chamber’s request he would support the representation for the immediate erection of a police station at Putaruru, and had placed a question on the Order Paper in the House of Representatives on the matter. AFFORESTATION ENTERPRISE. In acknowledging the receipt of the Chamber’s letter congratulating them on their afforestation enterprise in the Putaruru district, the directors of Smith, Wylie and Co., Ltd., through Mr. D. S. Wylie, managing director, wrote: “We have the utmost confidence in the future for Putaruru, particularly as regards timber industry, as leading authorities on afforestation have informed us that in no part of New Zealand, and probably the world, will trees make the growth they do in your district.”

ROAD TO MANGATAPU. The matter of forming a direct road from Putaruru to Mangatapu (Selwyn), with a view to its ultimate extension to Arahiwi, connecting with the road to Mamaku and Rotorua, was brought forward by Mr. Spear, who stated that he understood a grant was being placed on this session’s Estimates for this road. It was resolved to ask the Selwyn Timber Company to advise the Chamber in writing of their proposals to augment the grant, with a view to the active support of the Chamber.

TELEGRAPHIC LINESMAN. It was resolved to request the Telegraph authorities to take into consideration the advisability of stationing a resident telegraph linesman at Putaruru, it being pointed out that the work here was increasing, but the nearest linesman was at Matamata, involving a great deal of lost time travelling to and fro. POST OFFICE TO STATION. The conveying of the mails between the Putaruru post office and the railway station by hand-cart was mentioned, it being stated that the mails had now assumed too great a weight for this period, which was unduly toilsome for the post office staff and slow. It. was decided to suggest to the chief postmaster at Hamilton that tenders be invited for the carrying of these mails by express cart or motor. ELECTRICITY TROUBLEMAN. It was decided to write to the Thames, Valley Power Board asking that an electricity troubleman be stationed at Putaruru. ROAD MATTERS. A member reported that rubbish was being dumped on the side of the road at the cemetery hill, making an unsightly entrance to the town. TTTe secretary was instructed to refer the matter to the county engineer with a request that the practice be prohibited. It was also decided to ask the engineer to widen the road comer j against "handle’s building as it was becoming dangerous owing to the in- I creasing traffic. - j