Chamber of Commerce.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7758, 9 March 1905, Page 2

Chamber of Commerce.

(H A KTFRLV MF.FTING. 'lll' u.uml quurter".y meeting of the Tiirantiki Cluuiiber of Commerce was held on Wednesday. There were present—Messrs M. Fraser, president (in tlfe chair)', J. 0. George, Johns, A. C. Goldnater, W. L. Fitsdierben, J'. H. Uentley, Kerr, F.wlng, C. W. Govett. Arnold, N. King, Monica, Richards, G. 11. Morgan. | —New .Members, — I The following wvre elected inetn•bers oi the Chanifl/er—ll, Gray, C. lAhier, J. Morey, jr., W. S. Uurjker, G. Tisch, C. E. Baker, A. A. Pikelt, iL. G. P. Spencer, F. Metkenger, u nd J. 11. Parker. —Now Chamber.—• I The President gave a resume of the steps' taken by the sub-committee in | regard to obtaining a home oi their own, at a cost of about £3O. There Was now a credit balance of £4B. | —Patent .Medicines Regulations.— I The Colonial Secretary ■ wrote acknowledging receipt of the Chamber's resolution on the question of patent and proprietary medicines, and ndj vising thai the representations had been duly noted, j —Railway Facilities. — I The secretary read a numlier of latere beoween hinisl'if and the Railway Department in regard to delaying the morning express for one hour to allow of batter connection with the steamers from the north. Mr C. W. Govett pointoJ out thai now the Lyttelton steanners did not oatch the first train for Runedin there wtis no necessity to hurry this end. | Mr Johns suppjoruxl (Mr Govett's contention. I The President and Mr King miso emphasised lliei ncces«i|ly of taking steps to secure a later train.

I Mr Morgan said he had been ad,vised that the Department could not 'arrange for crossings. II Mr Govett moved that this Cham- . liter reiterates its previous rescftution .'passed to the Council and trust!, i that the Railway Department can see [ its way to alter the departure of the . express train about an hour. ■ | Mr King seconded, and the motion was carried. •I —Tlie Mokau River.—

s | Mr Kerr, at the invitation ot the | President, said that for the greater " portion of the year the road to Mokuu was impassab'le for heavy trafv fie, and even so the transit could nut '• compete with water transit. The 11 heavy flood of Jast year silted up the entrance, preventing the steamer going up for some weetCs. As 1 lr' e settlers depended entirely on the steamer, it was of the utmost im--0 porbanco that wc have steady coiur " munication with the Mokau. Fur- ' |thor, the Government hod recently 1 opened up large areas of land in the " Upper Mokau. If the settlers couJd * not get water carriage they would || have to get their goods from Anck- . land, via Te Kuiti. Captain Jen* 1 son, of the Tainui, calculated that no more than £2OOO would be sufficient to ensure that the occurrence u complained of would noft recur. An estimate of £16,000 had been submitted years ago, but the work proposed was l altogether out of propor- " tion to the requirements of the (listrict. He moved that; as the Mokau '" river iis the onf!y moanfi by which . the s'ettlers of the Mokau, Awakino, .and Wakae districts can got their ' supply of commodities from Wnitara and New Plymouth, and their dairy produce, wool, timber, and coal shipped to W'ailani and New Plymouth, and as the expenditure of ljttle more than £2OOO would make the l'iver permanently avuihubje for t navigation it be ui<ged by this ChnmI ber upon the (ioverninem, through, ( l iMr Jeniiingsi, the member ior the bise trict, that the mouth oi the Mokau river he permanently Improved by s the immediate expenditure of tlm't. amount, thus facilitating increased isettlement and conferring a great on settlers in this important and growing district. I Ihe President said surveys were | now being made to connect the up- ' I per part of the Mokau with ihe King Country. ®| Mr king seconded the motion pro forma. ' M Mr Cieorge said the late CommisIsioner ol Crown Lands, .Mr Mackenzie, had advised tile Chamber to e , w a , r 1,1 " liml tllal something should be done to aid the settler' J; to better facilities, o' Mr Iv'ug opposed the motion because they had no expert opinion on | the subject. It was no use to ap|proaeliUhe tiovesmnenl on the unsupported advice of the master of ■the river steamer. I Mr CJovett said while there was a » Harbour Hoard at Mokau, the «o- ---£ vernment would do nothing. _i Kerr replied to the opponents ( ot the motion, saying thut Captain ■: Jensen was competent to judge of the requirements of the district ; in fact, professional advice had been 1 , taken. I Mr (Jovett moved as an alA'inlment, "That this Chamber trusts " that the .Minister for Public Works I in company with competent engineers will lose no time in insiieeling ' the Mokau and seeing what can be done to improve the navigation of II the river, including at its mouth, ' joivd the roads from the river t'o the "j vallate inland district." Mr King seconded. Mr Kerr eventually withdrew hjs , j mot ion, and Mr (iovett's motion ii Was carried unanimously. 11 Mr (toldwaler moved, and Mr ~G eorge seconded, "That copies of f the resolution be sent to the Ministor for Public Works, Mr Jennings, , M,11.R., and the Mokau Harbour Board." | —Harbour Hoard Election.— 'i Mr Morgan moved that the secre|tary obtain data as to the election l of other Harbour Boards. He said I the importers and exporters shoukl I ' have a voice in the mutter. ' Mr Kerr seconded. Messrs Morgnu, Govett anil Bed-, ford were appointed u committee to inquire into the matter. —Railway Charges.— Mr Baker asked whether there was any chance of relief from llie awful railway charges on goods railed from the breakwater to the town, j The President said the Chamber had not lost sighl of the matter. ]