TRADE MATTERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 74, 30 March 1910, Page 7

TRADE MATTERS.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. ANNUAL MEETING. ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT. The annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held this afternoon. The President (Mr. J. W. Duthie) -was in the chair, and there was a numerous attendance of members. The meeting was preceded by a luncheon. The chairman, in moving the adoption of the annual report and balance-sheet, the main features of which have already been published, said that his task was a more pleasant one in one respect than that of his predecessor (Mr. Harkness), at the last annual meeting. On thafc' occasion the report on the trade of tha Dominion showed excessive imports and contracted exports, resulting in a, deficiency of some five or six million* in the fund yielded by the latter to provide for the cost of the former and for the outside interest obligations of the Dominion. The year ending on the 30th September last displayed a happy, recovery in that respect, and the reali-^ sabon of the output yielded a sum Euflicient to pay for the year's imports with a surplus but little short of four millions, an amount sufficient to meet all our interest obligations. One happy result of these movements was seen in the banking returns to the same date, which disclosed a reduction in the twelve months of £3,047,254 in the advances, and an increase. of £669,112 ia the deposits. As to the year now current, indications pointed to a further substantial increase in the value of our exports, while at present it did not look as though the volume of imports would show any material increase upon, the total of last year. If that provedcorrect, the end of the year should show a further satisfactory improvement in the financial position. IMPORTANT CONFERENCES. The past year had been a year of conferences of all descriptions, but from tho commercial point of view the most interesting of these had been the conferences of New Zealand Chambers of Commerce held in Wellington in April last, and tho Congress of Chambers of Commerce of the Empire, which took place in Sydney in September. Among the interesting events of the earlier function was tho voicing of the commercial community in favour of compulsory military training in New Zealand. That ' view was subsequently actively and ably promoted by various members of the House and was adopted by tho Legislature, and should shortly be an accomplished fact. It was to b» hoped that the mercantile community would do their share to assist that object. That could not be done without some sacrifice, as it would doubtless become necessary to let employees away from work at inconvenient times, but it was an object for- which all should be prepared to lend their assistance even at a sacrifice. Another was that a series of recommendations were submitted to the Government for the amendment of the bankruptcy law as the suggestions of the United Chambers of Commerce of the Dominion. Too often in the past the influence of the mercantile community in that important matter had been nullified by different and even contradictory suggestions having been made by various chambers acting independently of each other. It was hoped that as a result of this action, a greatly improved measure would be brought forward in. the coming session. Another important outcome of the conference was an agreement for an association of the Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand. The progress of this project had} not been so quick as might have been desired, but a general assent had nowbeen attained and there was reason ta hope that the movement would soon be> brought to a successful issue. The Sydney conference was in many respects, a very successful and important function. Not the least of the beneficial results was that so large a -number of leading mercantile men and manufacturers of the United Kingdom, Canada and South Africa had for the first time seen Australia and New Zealand, and learned, from personal observations, something of the possibilities, the character, the trade and the requirements of the several communities. From the intercourse with the delegates who visited New Zealand, it was evident that their experiences in these parte v»s a revelation of a most educational character, which was likely to rceult in a considerable improvement in "th« trade and interchange of the J<3mpire. THE HARBOUR BOARD. The council's report mentions the various work now in hand by the Wellington Harbour Board, and in connection with this, while critics had been very severe, it must not be overlooked that most of the expenditure of recent years seemed to be justified by the conxlitions prevailing when the works were decided on, and" how the board was urged to look ahead and make provision for the glowing trade of the port. The following extract from the address of the president of tiie chamber at the annual meeting in 1907 would illustrate what he meant :—: — "Details are given in the report oJ tha additional accommodation that has been and is being provided by the Harbour Board, and I need only say here .that I believe such increased" accommodation will be available none too coon, and that the progressive policy followed by the board of looking ahead and providing for the future requirements. of the port will meet with tne approval, of avory member of this chamber- Since the report was printed, the board has accepted a tender for the dock, which it is expected will be completed early in 1911." The board, continued Mr. Duthie, was urged to push ahead with the provision of extra accommodation, but the year 1907-8, instead of an increase in trade, saw a very heavy falling-off, which upscfc thp calculations of more than the management of the Harbour Board, and tho I time has now come when extra source of revenue must be found, and they were again face to face with a small advance i i the wharfage rate, although it was only a short time since the last addition was made. The members of theboard did not seem to realise thai every penny per ton added to the rate on goods was forcing the trade to other ports, and probably would not realise it until Wellington lost the premier position of the ports of the Dominion. HTJTT RAILWAY LINE. Aftei referring to the uchool prize competitions, Mr. Duthia said the work on tha Wellington-Hutt section of tho railway line was not yet computed, but was still being pushed on, and would probably bo c«mplele«l in six months. Anether point was that tip t© tha piefent there was no suggestion of amalgamating the two railway statiens *nd flic building of a station which would give the necessary accommodation for the travelling public. As it was at present, ie was most inconvenient to the public, and it must also be a very great incon\enicncfe to thu department in carrying out their work. It was mentioned in one of the local papers a few dagw ago that it was intended to -«zaa2gaaMfcfc Xbe, <_'<~ods-sheds ; perhapST*CrHs war an indi-f

cation that before long the passenger stations would also be brought together.. THE SUBURBAN AREA. Some tvcelve or eighteen months ago the suburban area was extended to 20 miles, and on this a number of Wellington people, wishing to get the benefit of the fresh air of the country, moved their residences to Trenthain and equally distant places. If the alteration was insisted on it must mean a great sacrifice to these people, and such a hardship should not be cansed. Wellington was in an entirely different position to other New Zealand towns, in the fact that - they conld not get residential t-ites within five or six miles from the city, ,and the limit under such circumstances • ehould not b» so restricted as ten miles. PASSING EXPORT ENTRIES. .' A point which had been brought • before the Government by the council, • but which had not yet been satit-fuctorily " solved, was a small thing which probably onry required publicity to have settled. It was the passing of export entries at \the Customs. Exporters at present were • .very dilatory at passing these entries, ".with the result that such a thing as an ', accurate value of the exports of the month or the quarter was impossible "- to get. (Applause.) V ". THE DISCUSSION. ' The motion was .'seconded by Mr. H. -C. Tewsley, who remarked that from "^ the Chamber of Commerce point of view .'tbft.jiast year had not been one of -special interest. As to compulsory -' training, he thought the mercantile community would cheerfully assist in - carrying it out, but he hoped that' the /Government would consult the chambers •as to the most convenient periods for - the annual training, so as to reduce the ,' inconvenience to a minimum. Regarding \Jhe, conference of Empire Chambers of • ■Commerce, he said he had no doubt \i-haf before long the outlying portions of the Empire wouUl_ be consulted in ' regard to matters that pertained to our special requirement*. The Harbour ; Board, he added, had had a trying time, and he did not think that trade would reach the normal until about the end of the year, and the board was justified in taking steps to maintain . its revenue. He expressed strong dis- - approval of the site of the dock, and • urged that much of the area to be " occupied would in time be required for •' warenouses and wuch like. (.Hea.r, hear.) tWELLINGTON AS THE PREMIER PORT. Mr. J. G. Harkness, speaking of the Harbour Board, on which he is the representative of the Chamber, said that all the members of the board were strongly impressed with the necessity of maintaining Wellington as the premier port. The ordinary increase of revenue . had* not been maintained last year, and _ it had had increased charges to meet, •^ and it had to make an equitable adjust.\inent between the shippers, importers, and exporters. These extra charges were -not permanent, and many of them would be reduced when circumstances warranted. The board had not, like Auckland, about £15,000 or £20,000 a year of endowments, and its whole revenue was derived from charges. As to tho dock, .when the question came before the board for final settlement he should do his best to bring about what would be in the interests of the city of Wellington. For I Jhis own part, he thought it would have been as well if the dock had not been started for the next fifteen or twenty years. Dealing with the Hutt railway duplication works, he complained that the Government had put on the shoulders of loc3l bodies the cost of making the road ; and he contended that if the work lad been left to the local bodies it could have been carried through at half the cost. That was one of the most iniquitous things that had ever been perpetrated, and the local bodies concerned bad no appeal. The motion for the adoption of the Deport and balance-sheet was carried od Jho voices without further discussion. ELECTION OF COUNCIL. The election of a council for the ensuing year resulted as follows : — Messrs H. C. Tewsley, G. Duthie, J. G. Harkness, J. M'L'ellan, J. Macintosh, C. W. Jones, D. J. Nathan, A. Pearce, .W. Allan, W. Ferguson, A. A. Corriean, »nd T. W. Pikher. WELLINGTON RAILWAY STATION. 3lr. W. B. Lees moved — "That, in the opinion of 'this chamber, citizens of Wellington have strong grounds for complaint at the long-continued delay of the Government in providing in this city a . general railway station, furnishing cnitable accommodation for the travelling public, and that the council be requested to make urgent representations to the Government on the subject." Mr. H. C. Tewsley seconded the motion. We did not, he said, want to emulate Dunedin, but to get a commodious structure built on commensense lines, sufficient for our requirements. The motion was carried unanimously. - SUBURBAN AREA. Mr. J. B. M'Ewan moved that the council bo requested to draw the attention of the Government to the hardship and unreasonableness of restricting the suburban area to a distance of ten miles from a city like Wellington, and to ur«e that it be not altered. The motion was seconded by Mr. Harkness and carried. CUSTOMS TARIFF. Mr. T. Gray moved that the council - be' asked' to look into the matter of the iujustice and hardship of local decisions and interpretations of the Customs tariff, with a view to having oraeial decisions gazetted, and made applicable to all ports of entry. He mentioned that certain articles came in cheaper at other ports than at Wellington, and he urged that w-here an appeal was lodged, the decision should be made to apply . throughout New Zealand. "•- Mr. T. S. Yonug seconded the motion, • which was opposed by Mr. L. H. B. Wilson, who contended that all decisions by ■• the Minister are made on general lines, gazetted as geneialiy applicable to the various ports of the Dominion. The motion was withdrawn. It %vas decided to amend the rules so that the three members of the council to be ineligible for if-election shall be those who have made the leaet number of attendances during the year. On the motion of the chairman it • was decided to again devoto sum •f twenty-four guineas to school prizes. Messrs. C. I*. Powle.i and F. \\. fiaybittie weie renppointed auditors. Uhis concluded the business.

A motion sympathibing with the Auckland dioce*« m the loss it had sustained by the death of the Right Rev. Dr. lienihan. and expresxing appreciation of his devotee l services to the Church, was passed at a meeting of the Hibernian A.C.B.S. Conference this afternoon. In the Stipendiary Magistrate's Court ibis afternoon, tyro additional charges were brought against a woman named Elizabeth Ward, alias Gillies, who appeared before Mr. W. R. Haselden. fi.51., this morning, and was sentenced to one and three months' imprisonment respectively for drunkenness and for stealing certain property. The later charges alleged (1) breaking and entering the dwelling of Herbert Armstrong, and (2) stealing an umbrella belonging to John Herman. On the former charge accused was remanded till next Wednesday, and in connection .with the other she was sentenced to three months' imprissonraent, cumulative to die previous seotenceß.