CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Evening Star, Issue 16196, 18 August 1916, Page 2

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

'.' ..BUSINESS AT THE ANNUAL ■_! • MEETING. I .' , About 40 members attended tho annual meeting of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce yesterday afternoon. Mr G. W. Gibson read the presidential .address (printed in our last issue) and l moved the Adoption of thft report. Air J. B. Waters, tho retiring vice-presi-dent, seconded tho motion. Ho congratulated Mr Gibson on his thoughtful and instructive address. During the year the council had endeavored to handle to tho best of their ability tho many questions (some of considerable magnitude) that had been submitted to them. Ono of the lessons of the war was that but for the , Navy all our life's work in building up .industries might h&vo gono for nothing l in tho course of a few "weeks. As to the, shortcomings of the Government to which Mr Gibson had referred—shortcomings in not giving the people a proper lead as to finance—it was perhaps hopeless to expect a Democratic Government to speak plainly ..to the people and tell them -what was necessafy to bo done. No doubt we had suffered from > having a. week-kneed Administration. But. taking the position by and large, he did not think that) our legislators had in this respect been moro to blamo than tho legislators of other countries.

'Mr H. K. Wilkinson referred to the

president's remarks as to the small eneouragenrent given to -working men to deposit their money with tho Post Office Savings, Bank, and in that connection, be suggested that tho chamber might formulate a scheme by which employers would take small sums for investment with the firms, giving tho same interest as they would have to pay on overdrafts. The men might thus get' up to 5i per cent, for their savings. • Mr John Mill expressed pleasure, at hearing Mr Gibson's remarks about tho good work of tho Harbor Board. Tho inercahtile community were verv much indebted to that board for enabling bjoships to enter the port. Just now ship" ping matters were upside down, but after the war the shipping companies should be told that they must resume the Melbourne trade via the Bluff to Dunediu as it used to be. He agreed, too, that the Government should pay Sues. It was unfair that they should bo competing in the. coal trade with coal that paid no harbor dues; unfair also to the Harbor Board, -who could not carry on their works without money. As to the war loan, it was everyone's duty to subscribe, and ho made the suggestion that everv parent should be asked to take up a 16s certificate for each of his children. Mr E. C. Hazlett paid that tho shipowners ought to be told by the Dunediu importers not to send their goods bv vessels that did not come to Dunedin Ho also thought it unjust that we should have to join in the subsidy to the mail steamers that called only' at Auckland and Wellington, unless there was a flat rate, to enable us in tho south to compete for the Pacific trade. He certainly thought that at the least one of the carat) boats from San Francisco and Vancouver should come to Dunedin occasionally (Applause.) ' *'

Mr J. M. Gallawav observed that Air Gibson's address was one of the finest be had ever listened to—so full of thought and so well handling tho great Imperial questions that it would not be beneath the dignity of Mr Massev and Sir Joseph Ward to study it on their war Home (Applause.) The motion for the adoption of the report was carried. —Office-bearesr.— , The President stated that Mr J. B. "Waters was unable to take, this rear the ;position of president, to which he was entitled. _ Mr Waters would have made a. splendid president, but at present he could not eee Iris way to undertake the work. The recommendations of tho council were that Mr G-. Fenwick be. president, Mr W. Gow vice-president, and Messrs E. Cameron, J. Farquharson, J. ;Lethbridg_e, Adam Patereon, David Todd, ■ and H. K. Wilkinson members of council' and Mr D. Crawford honorary auditor. ' The recommendation was adopted. Mr Fenwick said that ho accepted the jiosition of president with great hesitancy, the more so after hearing Mr Gib- I -son's fine address that day, but he would do .his beet for the ink-rests of the chamber i and the City. I —Motion of Sympathy.— i . Mr G. L. Denniston .moved to the effect that tho chamber record their deep regret at the loss by death of eight members v.during the year, acknowledge the indebtedness of the chamber to "those members for their services, and express sincere sympathy with, .the son-owing relatives and friends. The members referred to and named were Messrs J. Davie, G. P Farquhar, T. W. Kempfchon.e, J. M'Jndoe L B. Wilson, T. Thomson, Eden Bowler and J. N*. Ritchie. ' . Members rose to their feet in assent to -the motion. —Tho Rules.— The President moved the adoption of certain amendments to the articles of association, providing (1) that every member of council shall retire after his third year, (2) that tho retiring president shall be ex officio a member of council for one year and thereafter shall not hold office, for one year, (3) that power ba taken to O'-sate life members. / The amendments were approved and the _ council-'instructed to call a special meeting to confirm tho resolution. —The War Loan.— . The telegram from the Government was read. It ran thus: " Minister of Finance ,wili accept payment in full on application and allow sir months' interest instead of instalments, provided no single application exceeds £20,000, and bonds to b© 25 years." Mr Gibson said that tfcemed fairly eatisfaotory, except as to the last clauc-e, which required a little thought to see how it would work. Mr G. Fenwick asked why there s'hoidd be this limitation of 25 years. It should be removed. It was not" always convenient. - It was resolved to send, tho following reply to the Minister:—"As a largely aCtended meeting of the Chamber of Commerce to-day the telegTam from tho Secretary of the Treasury containing your decieion re prepayments was considered. The concessions made are appreciated, but strong exception was taken to interest on prepaid instalments being restricted to 25 years' term investment. It is considered important that these concessions bo made to apply to 14 years' term also, as otherwise trustee companies and others will bo hampered in their investments."' —Goneral.— On the suggestion of Mr T. Somervillo it was agreed to call a meeting of importers to consider the question of insurance on the goods ex Rangatira. •Samples of tho new picture postage stamps were laid on the table. Mr W. E. Reynolds moved ft voto of thanks to tho retiring president and the council, and this waa heartily agreed to.