CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Press, Volume XLII, Issue 6304, 2 December 1885, Page 3

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

The quarterly meeting of the Chamber was held on November 26th. Present— Messrs J. Gould (in the chair), F. Trent, & D. Thomas, J. Cooke, J. Aiken, B. W. England, M. GaTd'ner. A. C. Wilson, W. D. Meares. Carter, W. Chxystall, J. Anderson, jun, H. P. Murray-Aynsley, P. Cunningham, B. Walton,C E. Briggs, MoDougal, D. B. McLaren, Hon. fi. m Parker, ana Hon. J. T. Pea:ook

The Chaibman said — Gentlemen,—ln addressing you this afternoon I must crave your indulgence on two grounds. First* that it was not till yesterday afternoon that the President informed mc that owing to private business requiring his presence in Dunedin he would be unable to occupy the chair to-day, and that consequent on my absence from Christehurch during the greater part of October and the eatly part of this month, I am not so well posted in the matters which have occupied the attention of your Committee during the past quarteras I should ordinarily have been. While numerous minor matters have been discussed and dealt with during the past quarter, there has not been any point of very grave importance before the Committee since the last general meeting of members. For a very considerable! time the arbitrary clauses of the bills of lading now in general use between London and this colony have been under discussion by the Committee, and you will be gtad to>< learn that after correspondence with the London Chamber of Commerce, a Committee from that body has been ap¥ointed to take the matter in hand, t will be apparent to all of yoa that it is a question which can fed better "dealt t -with in Xondon, whero the trade is concentrated, than at this end, nlthongh it is here more especially thai the pressure of these clauses ia felt. Efforts have recently been made by your Committee to get the arrivals and departorea of ooe&n-going vessels telegraphed to the Chamber daily from the principal Sjrts of New Zealand,' and the other hambers have been asked to co-operate with this Chamber in the matter; but up to the present the Government has declined to accede to our request, on the ground of tiie expense.. As similar information is telegraphed. throughout Australia to the different Chambers, and is found of much use-to the mercantile community, I trust '." ere long the Government -may- see it 9 way to arrange for its being done here. Considerable inconvenienca having been feltin consequence of the goods office of the Bailway station not being connected with the Telephone Exchange, your Committee drew the attentionj.of tiie Government to the matter, and have received advices that it will be connected without delay. A communication has been recently received from the Government; asking the opinion of -this Chamber as to the advisability of altering the contract with the Janet Niccol, and allowing that vessel to commence and terminate her voyage at Auckland, instead of running up and down the) coast as at present. Members are doubtlessaware that a considerable subsidy i» paid to this vessel, with the view of fostering and developing a trade between this country and the South Sea Islands, and your Committee replied that ft was of opinion that all the advantages that should be gained by the Southern porta of New Zealand by having communication with* the South Sea Islands would be lost by the proposed alteration, which would entail tiie transhipment at Auckland of all Southern cargo. It is well known that each handling is in many cases most damaging to may remain out on an open wharf for hours, exposed to all weathers, and receive

serious damage in consequence. A letter lias been received from tiie Woolgrowenr Association of Australasia, on the subject of seeking new outlets for. jwool,,and sugr. gesting that all woolgTOwers should subpcriba to a general fund, having for its Sbj-mt the pushing of wool in new channels. The matter has already been taken up by the local WoolgrowerV Association ; and your Committee replied, sympathising with the objects of the Association; but beyond that, I do not see at the moment that any further steps can be taken by the Chamber. The delay in the discharging of cargo from some of the sailing ships, was brought under the notice of the Com--s*ittee,whowrotetotheH»bbrßoardonthe sm"oiect. ; -The matter, however, lies more in the hands of the shipowners than tiie Harbor Board, and your Xlommittee is finable at present to see anymeans of comseUiDg ft abie to discharge rapidly. The Harbor Board regulations provide that a chip shall have the use of the wharf accommodation for a period of one day for every 50 tons of the ship's registered tonnage, and I think if vessels were discharged in accordance with that regulation there would not be much ground for > complaint, •s a 1000 ton ship would -unload in twenty working days. The regulation practically provides for vessels - discharging a minimum quantity of 76 tons a day, which cannot be considered too much to ask, considering all the facJlitias provided for discharging. Throughout Canterbury business is reported-as quiet, but sound, and I hope that the present small rise in wool at the London,- sales may be the precursor of a general, though perhaps not a very large, increase in values., Farmers report the crops generally. as promising better than an average yield, and with a plentiful supply of grass foe their stock, ere, is better spirits than for some time past. . Owing to- the great care and economy with which they are now working their land, there is no doubt -that, they can f get along with a much less gross income than formerly; and I think a very great improvement in trade would result if the farmers this ■harvest are able to get their grain secured "in an undamaged - condition, although rwrices are such as to preclude tiie hope of their having a very first-rate year. I have 'jUsi returned from the West Coast, and it aaay interest members to hear a few words ftboufc things over there. So far as I could see, although tiie halcyon, days of cold digging may be over, and the storeKsepars and others saftnatural-conseque-nce flhtUxade less brisk that when miners were recklesely squandering their, easily-earned money, yet I think gold mining is entering •a a.new phase, which■ is-likely to do both the miners and the.colony more good than it has done in the. old days. A considerable population is earning fair, in fact- good wages, and many now are euietly saving up- their surplus earnings, intending to settle down to some more certain occupation when they ' have gathered sufficient capital. A fair 'amouht of prospecting is.being done, new . reefa opened up in various directions, and there being leas floating capital; for speculative purposes, causes.; more caution in opanihg up new ventures, except .where there ia a good i prospect of their Being profitably .worked. ■ While.- on the coast-1 heard of good reefs having been recently found, and proved, at Mokinuhini, Westport, Lyell, and Beef ton, and there seems an indication of a renewal in prospecting and mining throughout the coast. It is, however, to the coal, deposits that I look for the future wealth of Westland, and with the narbor works now being 'carried out at Westport and Greymoutb, there should in a few years be an immense trade done there in coal. The deposits, ss is well known, are enormous, and the value of the coal for gas and steam furposes is now being recognised > such an extent in Australia that tiie West Coast coal will readily cotcmand some It 6d per ton more than coal from Newcastle. Becent experiments, on a very considerable scale, at the Christehurch Gas Works, have proved the incorrectness of the prevailing idea that the Crreymonth coal is more valuable for gas than other West Coast coals, and there can "Be no room for doubt that, when the bars ef tiie riven' mouths have been so far improved as to allow vessels of 18ft and 20ft 'draught to enter, the trado to be done -must necessarily be very large. J"Ap- ' jjjlauße.] There is no special business to Taring before the Chamber but if any -member has any point upon which he 'desires to have a discussion I shall be glad xor him. to* bring it forward. :Mr Waltow said he desired to mo ye a •vote of thanks to- the Chairman for the excellent address he hud* 1 delivered on the occasion.* "fHear, hear.3 . MtGasd-nxb seconded the motion,which s wae carried. ' 'The Chaibman said he desired to thank thera for their kindly appreciation. He trusted at their next quarterly meeting to Bee's: larger attendance of members, and t&afc they might have some important business* to transact. The meeting then terminated.