CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 4121, 19 September 1883, Page 3

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

A SPECIAL meeting of the Chamber was held this afternoon for the consideration of two subjects raised by correspondence. Present: Messrs L. D. Nathan (Chairman), G! Aiekin, A. Stewart, T. Peacock, 11. B. Morton, B. 11. Stevenson, C. C. McMillan, A. H. Nathan, W. It. Waddel, and Captain Webb.

Bills of Lading.—Tbe following letter was received :—Sydney Chamber of Commerce, 37th August ISS3. The Secretary Chamber of Commerce, Auckland, Sir,— The serious evils that havo arisen by the introduction of special clauses in bills of lading issued by steam companies engaged tho Australian trade bavo been under the consideration of this Chamber, and it has been resolved to invite tbo co-operation of tho London Chamber in ventilating tbo question and to assist in devising means to secure tbo adoption of an equitable form of bill of lading. I have the honour to enclose copy of letter addressed to the London Chambor on the subject, and have been instructed to invito the assistance of your Chamber in the effort now being made to remove the evils complained of, by similar action on your part, or by any other means which your committee may deem advisable. —I have, etc., CIIAS. H. Hayes, Secretary." The following resolution'passed at a Conference of tbo Marino Underwriters of the Australian Colonies held at Melbourne, was also received from E. S. 'Watson, the Chairman :—"That tho Chairman be requested to communicate with the various Chambers of Commerce in Australia and New Zealand, informing them of tho desire of the members of this conforeneo to assist in any way they can in obtaining more equitable clauses , in bills of lading, and in requiring also the ' signatures of masters of ships only to all i such documents." ! The Committee having considered tho matter, recommended tbo Chamber to co-operate with tbe Association re-, ferred to in obtaining a more equitable form of bill of lading.—The Chairman : moved " That this Chamber considers that the clauses introduced into the Bills of , Lading, now in use by the leading Steam , Shipping Company's trading with the j Australasian Colonies, practically relieves i them from liability, and that immediate ' steps should be taken to secure an equitable amendment of the same in tho interests of shippers." He said tbat as present drawn out the provisions of these bills were most arbitrary affording no protection ■ whatever to importers, lie had seen how I goods were hurriedly transhipped at Melbourne, and he had found by experience that no relief was to be obtained whilo the : present system obtained. In allusion to this manifest injustice. Lord Chief Justice Brett had recently declared in giving judg- ! ment in the case of the Chartered Mercantile Bank of India against the Netherlands India Steam Navigation Company :— " If shipowners in general, or shipowners in a particiiiar trade, wero to venture to draw up bills of lading that would absolve them from responsibility for their own personal negligence or fur their own personal want of° reasonable care and skill, on the application of shippers of good's, an Actof Parliament would probably 1» pass v such as that which was passed by the legislature to put down a similar attempt on the part of the railway companies to escape from liability."

Mr Peacock seconded the motion, and, in doing so, endorsed the Chairman's remarks. -At his request, too, the Secretary read out the terms of the obnoxious bills of lading.

Messrs McMillan, Aiekin, and Stevenson also (^joke in support of tho resolution. The last-named gentleman said that the Orient Company were the most i,> blame in the matter under consideration, and as the Union Co.'s bills of lading were modelled upon those of the Orient Co. it- was of vital interest in this colony,— Mr McMillan followed in a similar strain, characterising the Union Co.'s bills of lailing as exceedingly arbitrary.

The motion was then passed

Mr Peacock then moved, "That this Chamber consider that Imperial legislation is necessary to remedy the defects in the existing law referred in the foregoing resolution, and that copies of the above be sent to the London Chamber of Commerce, Sir Win. McArthur, M.8., A, J. Mundella, Esq., M.P., Thomas Russell, Esq., M.P., C.M.C, requesting their co-operation in the direction indicated.''

A resolution was also passed condemnatory of tho seizure of the barquo Gazelle whilo the rumoured intention of the Government to erect a wooden railway station was strongly animadverted upon.

(Left Sitting.)