MASTERTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9073, 25 April 1908, Page 6

MASTERTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL. The monthly meeting of the Council of the Masterton Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday afternoon. Present —Messrs T. G. Mason (chairman), W. B. Chennells, H. Chamberlain, J. B. Keith, F. W. Carey and H. Donald. Several apologies for absence were received. The treasurer's report showed a credit balance of £2 6s 2d. Mr A. W. Hogg, M.P., forwarded a reply from the Minister of Lands (Hon. E. McNab) to the communication of the Chamber supporting the proposal to open a road to the Whareama river. The Minister said that the Departmental officer* had been instructed to ascertain from the Maori owners whether they are willing to sell the fee-simple of the land to the Crown as it stands at present. If the Government requires the reserve it would, the letter stated, be possible to confer with the lessees as to the area to be surrendered by them, and also in regard to the road to be laid off on the East Coast Road to the mouth of the VVha'-eama river. Mr Hogg added a foot-note to the letter that be considered the communication fairly satisfactory. Mr J. T. M. Hornsby, M.P., wrote in connection with the same matter, stating that application must be made to the local governing body, namely, the Masterton County Council, to open a road to the shipping reserve. The writer said he had 110 doubt the County Council would take the necessary steps to restore to the public what had, unquestionably, been taken away in years past. In the event of the local body failing to comply with the wishes of the people, then the Koads Department would proceed if the authority of the Government could be obtained. The Masterton Postmaster (Mr T. S. Hester) wrote in reply to the letter of the Chamber requesting the extension of the hours of attendance at the local telephone exchange during the week, and for special attendance o:i Sundays. Mr Hester stated that he was instructed to reply that the request for opening at 6 a.m. and on Sundays during telegraph hours could not be entertained. The secretary of the Department stated that he would be prepared to recommend the Postmaster-General to open the Exchange continuously if the 342 subscribers paid £6 instead of £5 minimum subscription. In a brief discussion which followed, it was agreed that the Chamber had placed the matter sufficiently before the authorities, and little further could be done. The Invercargill Chamber of Commerce forwarded a resolution passed by that Chamber as follows: —That this Chamber recommends the general adoption of a uniform grain sack of 46 inches by 25 inches in dimensions. The letter stated that the Chamber had before it thr«9 sacks of the dimensions stated, which contained respectively 2001bs wheat, 1651bs oats, and 2001bs flour, and they ' agreed unanimously with the dccisipn of the New Zealand Flour Millers' Co-operative Association that a sack 45 "x 25" would be one of some * commercial value, and of more general use than the one decided upon by the recent conference with a dimension of 46 "x 24J." The Chamber decided to endorse the resolution of the Invercargill Chamber. '