CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2422, 10 February 1909, Page 6

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING. A meeting of the Executive Committee of the. Gisborne C. ann'btr of Commerce / was held m the Borough Council Chambers yesteui i.y afternoon. Mr. J. Townley presided, and there were present: Messrs ToaeyoJiffe. F. W, Riacli', AV. A. O’Meara, J. AV. Bright, A. F. Kennedy, and the lion, secretary (Air. Traill).

The Hastings Chamber of Commerce wrote asking the Gisborne Chamber to co-operate with other Chambers and various local bodies in approaching the Government, witli a. request- that Parliament be asked to authorise the construction c f a railway commencing at Poverty Bay. and connecting with the Napier-AVel-lington line. Failing an affirmative reply, that the Government be “requested to ask Parliament to pass an Act similar in terms to the Railway Construction and Land Act, 1881, and be askecl to make a grant to the proposed company of all available Crown lands lying between Napier and Gisborne. The Chairman said it was doubtful if the Government would give any railway company a grant of land. He thought all railways should bo constructed by the Government. Mr. Kennedy thought there was no reason why the Chamber should not support the request. The outer harbor was a long way off, and if Gisborne was connected by rail with Napier, it would bo an advantage to the district. Mr. Toneycliffe said that it would be a bad day for Gisborne when Napier and Gisborne were connected bv rail, because all stock and ' goods would be trucked through by train. Unless the outer harbor was constructed, Gisborne would suffer by such a railway; but the railway would be an advantage from a colonial point of view. Air. Bright said that when the question was previously discussed by the Committee it was thought that all the energy and money available should bo expended in pushing on the Gis-borne-Rotorua line. Air. Riacli said that he did not think the co-operation of the Chamber in the request would be prejudicial to the district. Air. Kenedy said it would be an ungraceful act for the Executive to throw cold water on the scheme, and lie thought co-operation should he given. On the motion of Air. O’Meara it was decided to co-operate with the Hastings Chamber in the matter. Air. Townley brought under the notice of the Chamber the need for forming about eight miles of road on the AVaikareinoana-Rotorua track, and the urgency of having fingerposts where the roads diverge. The route, he said, was a favorite, one for tourists, and lie thought the Government should be requested to form the eight miles of road, which would then allow a vehicle to be taken rieht. through from AVaikaromoana to Rotorua. It was decided to forward the request to the Hon. James Carroll. Air. Burton, who was unable to attend the meeting, sent the. following motion, which was moved by Air. Traill—“That the time has now arrived for the merchants of Gisborne to co-operate in the matter of direct steamers to the Gisborne roadstead, thus saving transhipping and coastal freight.” Air. Burton added as a footnote to his motion : “This is a matter that I have discussed with a prominent member of a large shipping company. The question was treated very favorably, and it only requires importers to specify their goods to he shipped at this port, thus making a freight to warrant the extra time and expense, and I feel sure there will lie no difficulty in arranging the above service.” The Chairman said that the. question had been considered before, and it was found that the ships would not come direct to Gisborne unless 500 tons of cargo were consigned to the port. He did not know it that amount of cargo could bo found, but tbc question was worth considering. It would he well if the steamers were prepared to call direct with about 200 tons of cargo. He suggested that a committee consisting of Aiessrs. Riacli. O’Aleara, Burton, and Kennedy should he appointed to inquire into the question. The Chairman’s suggestion was agreed to. The Chamber decided to again urge upon the Government the. need for a continuous telephone service for Gisborne. The question of sorting the mail from Auckland on Sunday was informally discussed, hut the Executive considered that the Sunday rest should he preserved as much as possible. Ten new members were proposed, and the Executive adjourned.'