CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 130, 10 September 1910, Page 8

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

QUARTERLY MEETING

The quarterly meeting of the members of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce was held last night, when there were present: Messrs. W. J. Perm (presiding, in the absence of the president, Mr. E. Griffiths). ,T. B. Connett, C. H. Weston, 1 C. W. Govett. \Y. Ambury, A. H. Arnold, A. MoHardy, M. Rudd," J. Pa ton, M. Fraser, Ab. Gold water, F. S. Johns, C. E. Baker, and 11. D. Bedford (secretary). Apologies were received for the absence of Messrs. Newton King, W. N. Ewing, and S. W. Shaw.

Messrs. J. W. Hayden, Jas. MeKellar, and W. A. Collis were elected members of the Chamber.

At this stage Mr. Griffiths took the chair.

THE TARANAKI HINTERLAND. | Mr. J. McCluggage, of Whangamom-i ona, forwarded a resolution of settlers' in the Whangamomona and Tatu dis- i tricts, asking the support of the Cham-, ber in advocating that the Government place £150,000 on the Estimates this year for the Stratford-Ongarue railway and approving the attitude of the Minister of Railways In. deciding to concentrate the energies of the Department on the Stratford end of the line. Mr. McCluggage wrote: "The Ohura road is formed to the full width for a distance of 59 miles from Stratford. From there on to Tatu, a distance of 10V 2 miles, is a Cft track on the grade with the exception of one mile formed in the centre. One bridge is erected across the Tangarakau river, and two more are still required. About 8 1 /2 miles of road requires to be widened from 6ft to 10ft, and there is not much heavy work in the lot. This would complete the road iOB miles long from Stratford to Ongarue." The president remarked that New Plymouth was vitally interested in having this railway completed as early a? possible. i Mr. Penn said the people on this side

of Whangamomona were unanimous in their desire to have the railway puslieA

on from this end. He had heard that day, too, that at Mangaroa the opinion was steadily growing that New Plymouth was their most likely outlet, and that their district would be best served by being brought into communciation with deep-sea shipping facilities here. The Government, he believed, was doing all it could to push on the line. As for roads, the Government had, since the Tatu meeting, allocated £9OOO for widening the road through the Tangarakau Gorge. It would not be possible to

complete this in one summer, but Mr. Murray informed him that the work was] being laid out so as to push it on as soon as possible, and give these settlers the road communication that they were asking for. He thought the request for £150.000 was "opening the mouth too wide." for the Government could rot possibly spend the money judiciously in the year. He moved, "That this Chamber sympathises with the efforts of the Tatu settlers to obtain communication by road and railway with Stratford, and undertakes to use whatever influence it possesses to secure the rapid construction of the road and railway." He also remarked that the railway construction works were "stuck" by the Whaugamomona tunnel. Mr. Amburv seconded, and remarked that the work to be done on the railway henceforth was of a more difficult nature, than that already completed. The motion was carried. Mr. Penn then moved, and Mr. .T. B. Connett seconded, "That this Chamber desires to express its appreciation of the way that at the present time the Government is proceeding with the road in the Tangarakau Gorge, and also with

the progress being made with the railway from 'Stratford, and urges that on no account should the most strenuous efforts he relaxed in pushing on the work."—-Carried unanimously.

NORTH ISLAND RAILWAYS. The North Island Railway League asked the Chamber to appoint a delegate on a North Island deputation to the Minister asking for a fairer allocation of the railway votes to the North Island in comparison with the South Island. The president said that although tht North Island had more population than the South Island, the North Island got only £2OOO of the railway authorisation to £3OOO in the South Island whereas in ordinary justice the figures should be reversed. Mr. Griffiths urged the Chamber to be represented on the deputation, and that the other Taranala Chambers of Commerce should be asked to support the scheme. Mr. M. Fraser said he happened to know something about the inauguration of this League some 25 years ago in Auckland. The League was formed foi Auckla'nders, and those Aucklanders used their influence in having railways made to a kauri bush that disappeared by water - carriage before the first tun nel was cut. Then they pushed the rail way on to the border of the barren xrurnfields. The present Minister of Railways—the first Minister who appearea to know his business —had declared that this railway would never pay a half

per cent. He might have reduced his | estimate by a great deal. Seeing that; the core of the League was in Auckland,;

he thought it inadvisable to support it. The Government had seen the necessity

for pushing the Stratford railway into our back country, They had to bear in mind that working with these useless agitators might be to Taranaki's dis-

advantage. Mr. Oonnett said that the "Auckland province considered itself the North Island" and Taranaki should look after itself.

The president explained that this League originated in Hastings. Palmerston North was the headquarters be-

cause it was central, and there was a

good secretary obtainable there. Palmer-s-ton was not greatly interested. Auckland was insistent in its demands, and would doubtless be well rewarded. The

fact remained that the North Island was not being fairly treated In the authorisation of construction, and the Chamber might well affirm the principle that £3OOO should be spent in the North Island to £2OOO in the South.

The allocation of the money, once that; principle was aflirmed. and the expenditure might safely be left to the Government. Mr. Fraser said Auckland was attempting to use thi~ Chamber to pull the chestnuts out of the live, and "Auckland would get away with the chestnuts." Mr. Johns said that the Chamber would be worse off than ever if it was ! unrepresented. Tliey should have a man there to fight against Auckland, if necessary. Mr. Penn said that in November last this Chamber had been placed in a false position before the Minister, by a deputation representing that it favoured something that it was quite opposed to. It seemed better to have a delegate or this deputation to prevent a recurrence of this misrepresentation and he was i strongly of opinion that Mr. Griffiths should be the representative on the

deputation. Messrs. Connett and Govett considered that Taranaki should have its own railway league. The chairman said the meeting was missing the point. The League was to endeavour to get more money for the North Mand, and to prevent expenditure on useless railways in the South. Mr. Baker moved that the president be asked to attend with th'e deputation and to prevent the misrepresentation ol this Chamber's wishes.—'Seconded by Mr. Johns. He pointed out that any other decision would entail the resigna- ) tion of Mr. Griffiths from the executive 'of .he League. I Mr. Fraser moved, and Mr. Govett seconded, an amendment that seeing that the' Government is doing all that ' is possible to hasten the Stratford-On- ' garuo railway this Chamber considers 'that the object of the North Islandj 1 Railway League is not at the present .time of any great importance to the I district. Mr. Penn said the motion would lay : the Chamber open to a charge of paroch-' | ialism. Mr. Fraser said these railway leagues i were a "red raw to the Government,"J and whv should this Chamber annoy I the Government? i Mr. Rudd saw no reason for Taranaki, joining an agitation just now, for the J district was being very well served by ' the Government, and had no grievance. He didn't like the North v. South Island feeling being fostered. Mr. Arnold thought it well to work with the League so long as it was actuated by a national sentiment, and not by parochial feeling. The motion was carried. A letter from the Seamen's Union, Dunedin. urging the Chamber to make | a protest against the menace to New i Zealand's national interests by Lascar"'manned vessels trading to these shores, | was ordered to lie on the table.