Waimate Traders' Association.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 154, 25 May 1901, Page 3

Waimate Traders' Association.

{ A wmll-act-onded Ooueral Mooting w.as hold iu the Borough Council Chambers on Thursday evening. Mr John MaueheAor was voted to the chair. The articles ci association drafted by the commit!,ae appointed for that purpose at- the pre/ious meeting were co'is!ilu r ed seriatim and with some amendments, adopted. Mr Vv. L. Lott was elect ;1 soccet-a.ry and treasurer, and Mr G. V. Cochrane, Audi:or. The following nine mum hors were (ducted the Executive Ofommlitoe. Mosers F. Akhnrst, J. Cuunron, W. Ooltni.-an, (L Dash, J. H. Doan. 11. L. Giii. It. [nkst-ur, F. J. Maindnnald and J. Manchester. Before deciai’iug the meeting closed the I chairman called the attention of the members to a matter which might very fittingly be taken up by the Association, viz., the charge for carriage of goods on the Govem- ! meat Railways. He said it seemed to be the policy of the management to do their utmost by low charges to run a successful opposition to costal steamers where that could bo done and then make up by charging heavily those districts where such opposition did not exist. For example, goods were cani ed by rail from Dunedin to Oamaru at a j uniform rate of 12s 6d a ton. They i were then classified and charged at various rates, anything up to 20s a ton between Gamarn and Waimate, a third of the distance they had already been carried for 12; G-L The association should make representation to the authorities on the subject, and he looked to the members to support any action the Executive might take to secure a reasonable uniform tariff tor the colony. At present the Government'were giving every inducement for people to go outside Waimate to mike purchases. Merchandise, which it cost the traders 20s a ton to import, could be purchased in firaaru or Oamaru and carried free to Waimate as passengers’ luggage. At a meeting of the Executive, held after the general meeting, Mr John Mauohestor was unanimously elected President of the Association.-