COUNTRY BUSINESSMEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 357, 18 May 1928, Page 14

COUNTRY BUSINESSMEN

CONFERENCE AT TUAKAU RAILWAY ROUTES DISCUSSED (From Our Oton Correspondent) PUKEKOHE, Thursday. The half-yearly conference of the Franklin Chambers of Commerce was held at Tuakau on Wednesday, representatives of the Papakura, Pukekohe, Waiuku, Tuakau and Pokeno chambers being present. Mr. S. W. Turley, president of the Tuakau chamber, presided. Mr. E. D. McLennan, Mo?., was also present. The conference agreed to adopt the suggestion of the Papakura Chamber to establish a permanent executive comprising the five presidents and a secretary, with headquarters at Pukekohe. A motion was carried urging the associated banks to extend the radius for the exemption of exchange on cheques to a radius of 25 miles, and the Government to reduce the stamp duty to Id. The Pukekohe remit for the stopping of the south-bound Auckland-Welling-ton express at Pukekohe was referred to the executive; also one with reference to the use of clay “summer roe.ds” in the Franklin County. Following a suggestion from Papakura, it was decided to urge the Minister of Railways to speed up the duplication of the railway line as far as Papakura. Considerable discussion followed on the subject of the Pokeno-Paeroa proposed railway line. Various views were advanced, during which it was stated by a Papakura delegate that the Prime Minister had assured a Papakura deputation that a route along the coastline and through the Hunua Valley would be surveyed before the work on the line was commenced. While admitting that the Hunua route would be some 16 miles shorter, Pokeno delegates claimed that a larger area, of productive land would be opened up by connecting with Pokeno. A resolution was carried urging the completion of the connecting link between Paeroa and the Main Trunk line. The next conference was arranged to be held at Pokeno.