TE AWAMUTU NEWS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20909, 14 September 1939, Page 12

TE AWAMUTU NEWS

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CONSCRIPTION ADVOCATED (Special to Times) TE AWAMUTU, Wednesday The monthly meeting: of the Te Awamutu Chamber of Commerce, held last night, was presided over by the president, Mr R. G. Connal. When the balance sheet and copy of the report to be presented at the annual meeting of the Te Awamutu Terminating Building Society came before the meeting, reference was made to the fact that costs charged against the working of No. 1 Account and Uie member who raised the point thought that the group should be wound up as soon as possible in order to save Ihe heavy overhead. The secretary was authorised to attend the meeting on behalf of the chamber, which is a shareholder, with a view to having the group wound up. The president reported that, in view of the war, the council had decided against preparation of remits for the annual conference of associated chambers. Aero Club Funds Mr R. <F. Armstrong mentioned that the Te Awamutu Aero Club had been in recess for two or three years and he expressed the opinion that its energies and funds could be merged in some other scheme, such as the Centennial memorial or the Waikato air port. The objective of the club had apparently been to provide an emergency landing field. Mr L. G. Armstrong, treasurer to the Aero Club, said that one objective was to assist trainees, and, with regard to the landing ground, data had been prepared and an inspector had visited the district and reported to the Minister. Car parking in the business area was discussed after a letter from the Borough Council stated that it was intended to review the whole matter after the three months’ trial was concluded. It was decided to urge that when the time is up angle parking be re-adopted. A suggestion that the council be asked to convene a meeting of all interested parties was agreed to. Residents At Motor Camp It was reported that the Lands and Survey Department would send an officer to report on the occupancy of Selwyn Park, the motor camping ground, by apparently permanent residents. The Housing Department was not favourable to erection of smaller and less costly dwellings which would have solved the difficulty at the Park. The Postmaster, who was present by invitation, said that the petrol restriction was only temporary though necessary when brought in. The increasing diversity of the duties cast upon the postal department was mentioned by Mr A. G. Warburton, who asked whether the work entailed by the petrol restrictions and the enlistment of men for the Defence Forces would be carried on without increase of staffs. Mr Laybourn, the postmaster, replied that the work meant long hours but the stafT was carrying on cheerfully because it realised the emergency. The provision ef an ambulance for Te Awamutu received the full support of the meeting after Mr W. Tootiil had stressed the need. Compulsory Enlistment Mr J. G. Wynyard referred to the question of conscription of manpower in the present state of war. In some quarters, the declared policy was, he said, that there should be no conscription of personal service without conscription of wealth. Why should ihe position not be reversed to no conscription of wealth without conscription of man-power? In the voluntary system it was generally the best type of young man who came forward and was accepted, •with very considerable sacrifice in many cases. Great Britain had adopted conscription and this country liaji done so in the last war. Conscription was the fairest system in any democratic country and New Zealand claimed with pride that it was democratic. The Government was conscripting wealth by ever-increasing taxation, therefore, where was the justification for refusing to adopt conscription of manpower? After some discussion, it was decided, on the motion of Messrs J. Oliphant and Armstrong, to affirm the principle of immediately conscripting man-power in preference to the volunteer system. Copies of the resolution are to be forwarded to the Minister of Defence, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and the South Auckland Federation of Chambers of Commerce. DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S MONTHLY MEETING The chairman, Mr G. B. Melrose, presided at the monthly meeting of the Te Awamutu District High School Committee on Monday. Also present were Messrs S. H. West, J. Murtagh, A. S. Wyllie, G. Donaldson, F. Turner, G. S. Hall, J. A. Johnson and the headmaster, Mr W. G. S. Smith. A request from Frontier Films, Ltd., that the Assembly Hall be made available for the purpose of a proposed receptiwi to Mr Alferd Hill, tlie eminent New Zealand composer and musician, was considered and it was decided to make the hall available, admission charges to go to the school funds. The headmaster was authorised to make the necessary arrangements.

Following an inquiry from a parent as to whether the bus service would be available for town children in wet weather, it was explained that a reply had been sent that children in the town area would be taken on the buses only if a certificate were obtained from a doctor and the consent o-f the committee were given. After it ha<l been pointed out that the opportunity of levelling the grounds in front of the school would be lost if not taken while the necessary plant was on the site doing othe.r work, it was decided to authorise the chairman to approach the authorities and draw their attention to the possibility of getting the work done cheaply now, and Mr Melrose was given authority to meet part of the cost if necessary.

The Auckland Education Board ad vised that the estimated school fundi for the coming year would amount t£327 10s Id as follows:—Basic pay-