CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3223, 20 May 1911, Page 2

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

A SPECIAL MEETING.

MR. W

H. IRVINE APPOINTED

HON. SECRET JSY

A special meeting of the Gisborne Chamber of Commerce was held at (lie Borough Council Chambers yesterday afternoon, for the purpose of appointing a secretary to succeed Mr. F. H. W. Traill.

There were present:—Messrs J. W. Blight (President), G. W. Crompton, J. R. Kirk, J. B. Kells P. H. Graham, L. T. Brown, A. S. Wachsmann, T .E. Toneycliffe, T Corson, J. R. Redstone, E. A. Adiar, C. G. 810-or-e, R- Robb, G. E. Ashton, F. Parker, and W. F, Coderwall (Acting-Secretary). . A letter was received from • Mr, Charles Gowland, urging that the Chamber should endeavor to induce the postal authorities to send a mail south by the s.s. Ripple,' which left Gisborne oh Friday evening. The writer also stated that'the Chamber should endeavor to induce the Railway Department to start the .train from Otoko an hour earlier on Wednesday evenings, to permit country passengers to catch the boat for South. _ ' The President explained that he bad interviewed the Chief . Postmaster on the subject of despatching mails by the Ripple,' and liad been informed that the movements of the boat were so uncertain that the Postal Department did not feel justified in sending: a regular mail by her. Mr. Renner promised that he would send a responsible officer to ascertain the exact movoments of the vessel. The difficulty was that the Ripple proceeded nom Gisborne to Picton direct and thence to Wellington, and consequently !•> advantage would be gained in timo by despatching mails by the vessel. With regard to the suggestion to start Wednesday evening’s train an hour earlier from Otoko, the President considered the idea a good one. After discussion the matter was left to the president and secretary io d>-.al with. On the motion of the president, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Gowland for his suggestions, the president remarking that suggestions from residents on matters of public interestwould he at all times welcomed. A letter was received from the Dannevirke Chamber of Commerce, asking the co-operation of the Iqcal Chamber in endeavoring to induce the Postal Department to supply fuller details < n debit notes for telephone bureau communications. The presiden explained that he had s .;en Mr. Renner, Chief Postmaster, on tor subject, and had been, inform "d that all" details could be obtained at an\ time by subscribers. It was decided to reply to this effect. A communication was received from the secretary of the London Chamber of Commerce, enclosing a business card from Messrs G. W. and A. Hart, Central Meat Market, London, who were desirous of getting into touch with exporters of meat in Gisborne. The president remarked that it was something in the nature of an advertisement for the firm and the letter v-.us allowed to lie on the table. Accounts amounting to £35 4s were passed for payment. The acting-secretary announced that the Chamber had a balance of £23 18s lid in hand. The sub-committee appointed to select a suitable secretary for the Chamber, reported that it had made careful enouiries, and had decided to recommend that Mr. W. Hamilton Irvine be appointed to the position of honorary secretary for the ensuing year. Mr. Irvine was unanimously appointed to the position. The president stated that at last meeting a suggestion had been made that the Chamber should appoint a number of sub-committees to keen an eye on various matters affecting the w elf are of the town. Mr. Wachsmann thought it would be a good idea to set up a committee to watch the deliberations of the. Borough Council.

Mr. Toneycliffe considered a subcommittee could also do good work in seeing that the roads in the country were put into a passable state, to facilitate farmers in getting their goods to market.

After further discussion, the following sub-committees were set up:— Shipping Committee : Messrs R. Robb, T. Corson, and G. E. Ashton. Produce. Committee : Messrs Kells, Wachsmann, and-the President. Parliamentary Committee: Messrs J. R. Kirk, T. E. Toneycliffe, and W. Lissant Clayton. - Local Bodies’ Committee: Messrs J. W. J. Preston, J. Sheridan, and W. Miller. '• s ' '

A committee, consisting of the president, Mr.' Cpdenvall, _ and the lion, secretary, were appointed to revise the rules of the Chamber and have them printed. The following new members were proposed for election : Mr. H. de Leantour, A. M. Lewis, B. Taylor, F. Hall, and S. S. Dean. WHARF ACCOMMODATION. ■

Mr. Toneycliffe stated that the shipping committee should at once do something to relieve the unsatisfactory condition of affairs «at the goods shed at the wharf. Chaos was nothing to the spate of affairs which prevailed at present. He had recently received an important package by the s.s. Ripple, but had been unable to obtain delivery of it. In desperation, he had gone down to the wharf himself, and had found things in a most disorganised state: Goods were pitched up anyhow, and\ carters were using strong language in hunting around for the goods they in search of. Iron and chaff and children’s ; perambulators were piled up in endless confusion. There appeared to be adequate room for stowing the goods if anything like method had been employed. . Any man who had seen cargo handled could tell at a glance that" a lack of system prevailed. Even a farmer would not al-

low hay, oats, and carrots to be dumped down in one promiscuous heap. He

considered that strong recommendations should be made by the Chamber to remedy the urisatisfactory state of affairs that existed.

Mr. A.shton endorsed Mr. Toneycliffe’s remarks. He said that all firms, had suffered from the; same cause. The grievance was a longstanding one, and the only course to take was to agitate until matters were remedied.

Mr. Kells said he had endeavored to have. something done on the Harbor Board, hut had been in a minority. He thought the Chamber should bring pressure to bear on the new Harbor Board to improve the handling of goods at the wharf. He personally held that the Harbor Board could well undertake the handling of goods for the- wharf charges they received. It was decided that the Chamber should forward a letter to the Harbor Board on the subject. THE PASSENGER SERVICE.

Mr. Corson urged the Chamber should take some action in the matter of the Union Company landing passengers from their steamers at all hours of the night. It was, he said, a crying shame that _ people should be put to such inconvenience as had been the ease recently. Mr. Toneycliffe supported the protest, and said it was outrageous that all the Gisborne and Napier passengers should be put to such inconvenience simply that the boats might be delayed at Auckland in order to bring on a few tons of fruit.

The president said he was afraid that the. reply would he that the Main Trunk line had so reduced the number of passengers that travelled by steamer that the passenger service on the Coast did not warrant the attention it at one time did.

Mr. Robb remarked that this did not apply since the Minister of Railways had raised the fares on the Main Trunk line. It was cheaper now to travel by boat than hv train. It was decided to leave the matter to the shipping committee. The president said he would like each member to keep his eyes open in regard to matters affecting the interests of the town and district, in order that such subjects might he brought under the notice of the Chamber. They should all aim to make the Chamber a live body. They had now a membership of 57, and five more had been nominated that day.