COMMERCE CONGRESS AT SYDNEY.

Evening Star, Issue 10341, 15 June 1897, Page 1

COMMERCE CONGRESS AT SYDNEY.

Several important questions wore discussed by the Conference of Australasian Chambers of Commerce which met recently at Sydney, and the resolutions adopted demonstrated that sound good sense ruled the deliberations and that the commercial mind differs entirely from the political, in that Utopian theories and notions of radical change do not approve themselves. Matters are regarded from an essentially practical point of view. The first subject considered was the frozen meat .industry, which, from its very inception, was comprehensively reviewed in an able paper by Mr J. H. Geddes. Of special interest in New Zealand, in consequence of very similar conditions, are his remarks as to the present weakness of the traije. They wore doing their best, M • Says, in Australia to reach a higher standard of improvement in the breed of stock. The most modern refrigerating machinery had been introduced, and the reception and treatment of meat reduced to a system. -The British shipowners had met the demand for refrigerating tonnage, until there were now upwards of one hundred steamers specially fitted for frozen produce, the freight having also gradually declined from 2]d for mutton in 1881 to per lb in many instances during the last season. “ Yet, notwithstanding all the progress “associated with production, no corres- “ ponding improvement has taken place “ in the old time method of realisation.” He did not, he continued, cast the slightest reflections on the companies and agencies connected with the trade in Europe ; but he certainly did complain of the system with which the disposal of the produce was associated. A supreme effort must be made, he declared, to lift the trade out of the present unsatisfactory channels, improve the methods of storage, distribution, and sale—“ replace compara- “ tively dormant official representation by “ a living commercial influence.” Much, he added, remains to be done, and the necessity of concentrating the same amount of enterprise, energy, and method upon realisation as upon production must always be kept clearly in view. The Conference, after a brief discussion, adopted the following resolution: “ That the London of Commerce be asked by the “Conference to co-operate in facilitating “the sale of Australian frozen produce, “social stress being placed on economy “in the cost of storage and the mode “of distribution.” An interesting paper was read by Mr Anderson, a delegate from Western Australia, on ‘ The Commercial Relations of the Colonies with the Mother Country,’ in which the question was exhaustively dealt with in its several phases. A lively debate ensued, in the course of which Mr R. Reid (Victoria) stated that as a matter of fact seven-eighths of the trade of Australasia was with the Mother Country. At the recent Conference of Chambers of Commerce in London, he said, it was powerfully urged that all the products ofthe food-producing colonies should be admitted into the United Kingdom on a preferential basis as compared with like product., 'rem,foreign countries. “ There “ was an organisation in London “ the Empire Branch League whose “desire was to concentrate all the “trade within the Empire. Their argu- “ ment was that the various parts of the “ Empire were quite capable of supplying “ the wants of the British people.” It was resolved unanimously— 1 “ That this Con- “ ference suggest to the Australian Cham“bers of Commerce, with a view to “promoting closer commercial relations “between the United Kingdom and the “ colonies, that it would bo advisable to “appoint a joint committee of repre- “ sentativea from each Chamber for “the purpose of dealing with the “question, and that this committee “ shall commence their deliberations subsequently to the return of the Premiers “from England and after consultation “with them.” The Hon. S. A. Joseph brought forward the subject of the Pacific cable “in its social, commercial, and political aspects.” Ho expressed confidence from verified estimates that it would be financially successful, whilst the saving to the public and to the several colonial Governments on subsidies would be appreciable. Mr Joseph concluded a very interesting speech by proposing the following resolution, which was agreed to practically without discussion “ That this Conference are of opinion that “the early establishment of telegraphic “ communication with the Mother Country “ via the Pacific Ocean and the Dominion “ of Canada under Imperial control, and “ passing through British possessions, is a “necessity not only in commercial in- “ terests, but for Imperial strategic “reasons, and will materially assist not “ only the great cause of Australian “ federation, but will also form a strong “ bond of union between Great and Greater “ Britain. Further, that it be a reoom“mendation to the Governments of the “ various colonies represented at this Conference to urge upon the Imperial “ Government to carry out the laying of “ the Pacific cable (at the joint expense of “the Governments interested) with the “ least possible delay.” In regard to Australian federation there was considerable discussion in the Conference on two or three [joints ; and eventually it was resolved—“(l) That the Conference heartily “ approve of the establishment of a “ federal government, controlling, amongst “other matters, customs and excise, “ postal and telegraph service, quarantine, “coastal lights, and banking. That the “difficulties to be overcome should be “ dealt with in a spirit of compromise, so “that this year of Her Most Gracious “ Majesty’s reign may be the consumma- “ tion of a United Australia.” (2) “That “this Conference are of opinion that, with “ the information and time at their disposal, it is impossible to give that full “ consideration to the question of federal “finance which is essential, and recom- “ mend to the various Chambers of Com“merce of Australia and Tasmania the “appointment of special committees of “ each Chamber to deal with the question, “and that there be a subsequent interchange of communications between the “ various committees for the purpose of “ trying to arrive at a unanimous decision “■on the subject before the meeting of the “ Convention."

On the last day of the session of the Conference some liveliness was infused into they proceedings by Mr Ddgald Thomson, who, in a very able paper, advocated- the necessity of increased interest being taken by commercial men in the political life of the colonies. He based his remarks on.the interest—or rather the lack of interest—prevailing in his own colony, New' South Wales. He was, howevhr, induced, he said, to con-

elude that in no colony was there so great an interest displayed that it might with advantage be greater, while in most it was .only visible at all under the temporary stimulus of some powerful influence. “In the “Australian colonies no less than else- “ where commercial considerations to a “large extent influenced national policy, “and national policy often seriously “ affected commercial interests.” As a rule, he proceeded to say, the ablest of those who guide the destines of commercial affairs refuse to offer to the country the intelligence and capacity which would be equally valuable in affairs of State. Commercial men also, he declared, were most unwilling to interest themselves in political movements, or to use their proved enterprise and their powers of organisation in promoting what they think right, and in stemming what they consider wrong. “ Worse than all, men of “commerce were, as a class, wofully “ neglectful of what every thoughtful man “ should consider a binding moral obliga- “ tion—the exercise of the franchise.” It must be admitted, he continued, that the political arena offered few attractions to the average busin&ss man ; but interest in political life could be displayed otherwise than by candidature for Parliament. There was the inducing ofdosirablemenin any walk of life to allow themselves to be nominated for the representation of the people and the supporting of such men in their efforts to be returned. He concluded by moving—“ That this Conference “ affirm the great importance of increased “ interest in the political life of the colo“nies, and suggest that steps be taken “ by the separate Chambers of Commerce “to strengthen their interest as associ- “ ations, and to impress on their members “the desirability of a more widespread “ individual interest.” After a short discussion, in which each speaker fully agreed with the sentiments expressed in Mr Dugald Thomson’s paper, the resolution was put and carried unanimously.