CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 60, 18 December 1924, Page 2

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

A RAILAGE ANOMALY. I

The County Loan. The monthly meeting of the Putaruru Chamber of Commerce was held in the Oddfellows’ room on Monday evening. There were present: Messrs. F. C. Barnett (president), C. G. Alcorn, H. J. W. Scott, H. Johnson, T. F. Snell, A. R. Vosper, J. H. Morris, J. Smith, G. E. Martin and A. H. Dukeson, junr, (secretary). SELWYN* FORESTRY RESERVE. The managing- director of the Selwyn Timber Co., Mr. W. McArthur, forwarded a copy of the portion of the Finance Act of last session, providing- for the declaration of 50,000 acres in the Selwyn Settlement as a forestry reserve. Mr. McArthur pointed out that several thousand pounds from the royalty on the native timber at present on this area would accrue to the Matamata County It was resolved to thank Mr. McArthur for this information. REGISTRATION BOUNDARY. The boundary of the Putaruru and Tokoroa ridings of the Matamata county was adopted as the boundary of the proposed Putaruru marriage registration district, the RegistrarGeneral asking- the chamber to recommend a boundary as he proposed to grant the request for the appointment of the postmaster at Putaruru as a registrar of marriages. It was pointed out that the ridingboundary left Mangatapu in the Tirau district, but no suitable line to include this settlement in the Putaruru district could be found. A PENALTY FREIGHT. The Tokoroa Progress League wrote asking for support for a proposal that all tax on imported manufactures as again local manufactures, be levied in the form of customs duty and not by higher freight charges on the railway. It was pointed out that the higher railway freight, especially on manures and iron, was unfair to the farmers and other county residents, as they alone had to pay it, people at the ports getting- the same goods without paying the extra railway freights. After discussion it was unanimously decided to reply to the league that the chamber would be pleased to support it in the matter. It was also decided to write to the Hamilton, Rotorua, Matamata and Te Awamutu Chambers of Commerce suggesting that they also take the matter up. THE COUNTY LOAN DEADLOCK.

It was resolved to write the Prime Minister and Mr. F. F. Hocklv, M.P. for the district, also the chairman of the Matamata County Council, asking that everything possible be done to enable the council to proceed with its £200,000 loan scheme this summer. PUTARURU TOWN RATES.

The suggestion as mentioned at this month’s meeting of the Matamata County Council for a special ratingarea for Putaruru town was discussed. Members stated that they would like information as to the amount ol rates collected from the town at present, as it appeared that with the two main loads through Putaruru now a charge on the county as a whole, and with the Highways Board also contributing, there should be sufficient ordinary rates to do a good deal °i improvement work in the town. It was decided to write to the County Council for the desired information.