THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE CONFERENCE.

Evening Star, Issue 11673, 4 February 1902, Page 4

THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE CONFERENCE.

THE CONDITIONS OF THE COLONY,

WELLINGTON, February 4.

The Conference of the Chambers of Commerce opened this afternoon. Mr D. J. Nathan (Wellington), president, occupied the chair, and in his opening address said that the position of the mercantile and industrial life was far from justifying the pessimism licit had characterised the utterances of public men and the Press, ho doubt wool was as low in price as would ever be known, but signs of improvement were noticeable. Comparing the position of the sheep farmer in 1881 (before the frozen meat industry revolutionised the condition of the colony) with the present time, he found on drawing an average that last year sheep were quoted at 10s, as against 5s in the previous year. The significance of a drop of a million and a-hajf in our exports was greatly discounted by the fact that the total exports for some years had shown an abnormal increase. In any case the fall of a million and a-half was not likely to ruin this colony. Frozen meat had been higher in value, but few could grumble at the present prices, and, moreover, there were signs of improvement. Tallow, butter, and flax were high, while the prospects of wheat and oats hardly justified any special feeling of despondency. The gold, timber, and gum products more than maintained their position, and the coal support was increasing, while there were other industries, the pork export, for instance, awaiting development. The chairman strongly advocated the preferential treatment of British-made goods, and urged the opening up of the country by means of roads, bridges, and railways, and particularly by the completion of trunk lines.