The Daily Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XVIII, Issue 1633, 15 October 1862, Page 3

The Daily Southern Cross.

LVChO SON UIIO " If I ha-» c been extinguished, > et t lieio rise V thouMiud beacons fiom the spaik I bore "

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, ISG2.

Thkut: -will he a meeting of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, to-monow, we undeibtand, and we desire to call their attention bcfoi chattel to the late pioceedingsof the Dunedm Chamber, a repot t of which appeared in yestei - day's issue, and an aiticle bearing on which repot t we publish to-day fiom the Otago JVt(nebt>. They will do well to pay attention to what is taking place in the South, for they cannot be ignorant of the tact that whatever tends to advance the Southern provinces, must influence Auckland in one or two ways. — we must be either gaineis or losers. Hitherto we have been gamers by the disco\ciy of the precious metal in Ot.igo, Our timber and shipping ttades have been stimulated, and we look for a growing intetcouise with our prosperous sister as a ceitamty. When we dnect the attention of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce to the proceedings of the Dunedm Chamber, we do not therefoie, manifest envious feelings. We simply wish that the body which ought to repiesent our commercial and manufactui ing intetests fully, and which by geneial usage has .1 continuing influence on all matters bearing on ttade and coininetce, should direct its attention to the initiation of schemes, ha\mgfor theii oliject the extension generally of the business of this port and pi ovince. The difficulties in the way of intpioving our pott and hatbour ate veiy slight A few buo\s and beacons, which might be elected at a small outlay, would pie\ent the possibility of accidents, except fiom the gios-,-est caielessuess. But there ought certainly to be lights on the coast line, and unless the Chamber of Commeice mo\e m the matter, the Go\einmeitt will not feel constrained to take any steps in legaul to it. Mr. Pomett, the Colonial Secretaiy, in his reply to Mr. Stafford, stated he was of the opinion that coast lights should be erected, but deflated that he was entnely ignotant of any means wheieby he might at live at neccssaiy infoimation on the subject It is the duty of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce to assist Mr. Domett and the Government on this point, seeing that they have ample means of piocuring precise infoimation Some months since we indicated several places where lights should be elected on the Auckland coast , and a sub-committee of the Chamber could leadily piocuie the testimony of shipmaster s visiting Auckland, whose opinions, backed by those of the nautical gentlemen in the service of the Geneial and Provincial Governments in Auckland, would be conclusive on the point The report of a special committee would, we think, enforce every particular urged by us on the occasion lefeired to. This is one way in which the Auckland Chamber of Commerce may be of great use to this comniunit}' and to the colony in general, for it should not be oveilooked that the total absence of light-houses on our coasts, joined with the fiequent shipwrecks, must operate to our prejudice in the United Kingdom and foreign countries. The particulars of the losses on the New Zealand coast are not confined to the nanow limits of this colony and the Australian communities, and tlie Chamber will require to look beyond our near neighbours to more lemote countries, when considering the various causes in operation for and against the development of our commeice. When we find the Dunedm Chamber of Commei cc setting themselves manfully to the task of suggesting the best means for lcmoving great natural difficulties (the causes which produce them being in constant operation), the Northern Chamber should show something like activity in suggesting means for removing the trifling impediments which nature lias placed in our way. Thus, the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce have decided on urging on the Ptovincial Government the necessitty for bringing a steam diedge from Melbourne, for the purpose of deepening their poit and harbour. Of the necessity for this undei taking, the Witness writes :—: — " It is impossible to blink the fact that the " harbour has a natuial tendency to fill up, " there being no stream, but merely a tidal " flow and ebb. It is equally impossible to " avoid the admission that if the process is " allowed to continue without interruption, the " port will ere long become comparatively value- " less for the purposes of an extensive commerce, " and that in such a case Dunedin must aban- " don all idea of taking or /ceej ing the. lead as " the first commercial city of Neiv Zealand, and " must be content to see some other port take " that position. Indeed it may be said that " the case is even stronger, and that not only " if the harbour is allowed to deteriorat •, but " even if it is not improved, the glory must " eventually depart from Dunedin. The whole " tendency of modern ship-building is towards " the construction of vessels of large tonnage, " and consequently of large draught of water, " and as years roll on it may be expected that " the bulk of the ocean traffic will be conducted "by means of large ships. But large ships, by " which we would be understood to mean ships " of the largest size at present in use, are even " now shy of entering the harbour. For example,

" the ' Lightning,' the ' City of Melbourne,' and " the ' Result,' all of which arrived from Mel- " bourne this week with passengers, anchored " outside the heads, rather than incur the trouble " and risk of threading the channel through the " shallows to Port Chalmers. If, therefore, " still larger ships were to come into use, it is " to be presumed that they would avoid the " port altogether. This puts the necessity of " deepening and widening the channels in a " very strong light." Keeping the points in this extract in view, wo ask the members of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce to bear in mind certain other matters which occupied the attention of the Dunedin Chamber at its late meeting — namely, the propriety of the erection of a patent slip in the port ; and also the feasibility of entering into a provincial contract for a mail service to Panama. We willingly bear our testimony to the intelligent public spirit which the members of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce display. They perceive that unless they make their harbour fit for the accommodation of vessels of large draught, Dunedin must sink in the scale, of New Zealand ports ; and they suggest the only avaible means whereby the defect may be remedied. But they are likewise awaie thai unless there are fac lities for repairing vessels, tlu's poit will never become a great maritime rendezvous, which they contemplate making it ; and although a private firm has set a good example by constructing a small slijj, they bring their united influence to bear on the Provincial Government, to constrain a more extended line of action. They ask the Piovincial Government to grant a site for a patent-slip, and to guarantee 7 or 8 per cent, on the capital invested in its construction We have no leason to suppose that the provincial authoiities of Dunedin "will be so blind to their manifest interest as to refuse either request, although we think a patent-slip may be erected for very much less money than .£15,000 or £20,000, which are the sums suggested by some speakers in Dunedin. This is a good hint for Auckland, where there aie such unrivalled facilities for making this port the gieatest ship-building station in the Pacific. The Chamber of Commerce might not only consider the piopriety j of having a patent-slip elected heie, but also whether the time h.is not come for the construction of graving docks. The haibom endowments should be looked after with .in ej c to these matteis. We can build of ;niy tonnage at Auckland, but they must bo beached if they requite repaiis,and evcept vessels happen to belong to the poit, or aie so disabled as not to be fit to go to Sydney, the mas-tcis will not inn the risk of beaching for iep.vn 3, even in so safe a harbour as Auckland Looking at the gieat natuial facilities of our haibour, the unlimited supply of timber, and om lapully mci easing trade, we do hope that the Auckland Chambci of Commerce will take the matteis now suggested into their eaily consideiation. We do not expect that they can go far toward", consummating such desnable lesulfs, but, thej could do good by diiecting the public mind into this channel of thought, and thereby stimulating private entei prise. For our o\\ n pai t, w e think the action of the Chamber, if piopeily directed, might lesult in the foimation of a Harbour Tiust, to the caie of which theh.ubour endowments and emoluments would be handed over. Tins change would be highly beneiiual, as the commercial and maritime clement would then predominate in the Tiust, where piactical know ledge w ould be l equii cd. The last point considered by the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce was the necessity for making Poit Chalmers the tei minus of the Panama steam postal line in New Zealand. The opinion prevailed that Wellington was the favouute of the General Go\ eminent, and it is well known th.it Mr. Ciosbie Waid is going home to negotiate for the Panama sci vice, with the intention of making Wellington the New Zealand poit of call. It lests with Auckland and Ot.igo whether this shall be -the case or not , and we shall see whether oi not the Auckland Chambei of Commence will take a decided stand, like the Otago Chnmber. It is manifest, fiom the discussion m the Dunedin Chamber, which we published yesteida)', that if the monicd men of Auckland bestir themsehes, neithei Dunedin noi Wellington will be the New Zealand terminus of the Pauama line The talk of coetemg the other pi ounces of New Zealand and the Austialian Colonies, to fall into the scheme of aggiandising Otago, whether they like it or not, is only a specimen of " Young Identity" blustei, but for all that the nieinbeis of the Dunedin Chamber mean what they say. To make the Panama unite a success steameis must be laid on between Gieat Britian and say Chagics, of equal power with the Cunaid boats, and they must not make the usual calls at the Islands For that scivice a laige subsidy will be required, and we must invite the co-opci.uion of New South Wales and Queensland, as well as the mother countiy. Time must be gained on the Atlantic side, as well as on the Pacific, or else the sei vice will be of no use except to New Zealand, For this accelerated speed and diversion of i onto, money must be paid, and .£50,000 a year will be the lowest it can be had for. This will gi\e £100,000 a year subsidy, supposing the Pacific service to be done for £.50,000, as has been suggested from Lima. In view of these facts, and bearing in mind that Auckland is almost on the line of the shoitcst distance between Panama and Sydney, which must be the Australian terminus of the seivicc, let the Auckland Chamber of Commerce assume that tone which they are justified in using to the Post Master General, when communicating on the pi eject of the Panama postal route to England.

It will be seen, by referring to the paragraph in our shipping column, detailing the auiv.il of the ' Accrington' at Otago from Melbourne, that there is a likelihood of the September Mail fur England arriving too late in Port Philip harbour for the P. and O. mail boat If this suimise should prove to be correct, the New Zealand mail would be late consecutively for two months ; — a fact that must tell powei fully against making Otago the centre of any extensive postal service It is fortunate for Auckland that the October mail was principally sent by Sydney, in the 'Lord Ashley,' as in the winter months the chance of keeping time from Otago seems to be precarious. This is another point which should receive attention at the hands of the Auckland Chamber of Commeice. We hope their deference to "the poweis that be" will not shut their mouths, when considering the postal service of the Colony. "We disclaim any intention of " speaking evil of dignities" when we hint that the Hon. Crosbie Ward does not monopolise the entire wisdom of New Zealand. Lotus see, theiefore, what the commercial classes of Auckland think regarding the present steam postal service, and the amended plan of the Postmaster General.

Tknotrs for the oivction of a brick building in Vulcan Lino, aio ieijnesfcf>d to be ilchvoieil at tho office of Mr. Richaid Keals, architect, until mk o'olook, p.m., of this day.