CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7382, 7 February 1902, Page 2

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

CONFERENCE.

BANQUET TO DELEGATES.

IMPORTANT STATEMENTS BY

THE PREMIER.

(FSB PBBSS ASSOCIATION.)

Wellington, February 7.

The delegates at the Chamber of Commerce Conference were entertained at a banquet last night. The Premier in proposing trade and commerce, ad- J vocaied making a tariff agreement under which the colony should give preference i to articles of British manufacture. As showing the necessity of commercial men to be on the alert he said he had official information tbat orders had been sent to this colony ! from Victoria to send butter to South Africa, and the conditions were that the article was to be branded and packed in boxes identical with those of Victoria. He was glad to say, however, that these sharp dealers would not be allowed to evade the law of the colony as to grading and branding of products. Mr Seddon stated that the value of the imports for ten months of the past year was J69,527,368, and the exports £9,216,424. This was not satisfactory, but two months had yet to go, and might show xesults that would redeem the situation to some extent, but it was next to an impossibility that it would put the colony on the right side of the ledger by bringing exports up to an excess of two millions over imports. Unless there was such excess, "reclamations " took place, and they had to send away gold to make up the deficiency. The revenue returns for the ten months of the financial year were £4,656,431 against £4,506,075 for corresponding period last year, an increase of over £150,000. He said it was a source of much gratification for him to mention that the trouble over meat contracts for South Africa had onded satisfactorily. He had received the following telegram from the Agent-General : — " Undersecretary War states that an undertaking has been given in writing by the contractor for supply of meat in South Africa that supplies shall be obtained as far as* possible from Australia and New Zealand in •preference 10 Argentine. Had a personal interview with Ward, permanent Under-Secretary, and Lord Stanley and the War Office has given me similar assurance." The Governor has received a similar telegram.

Mr John Duncan cordially thanked the Premier for what he had done in the matter, and regarding remarks on exports, said the export of frozen meat and produce would be heavy during the closing months of tbe financial year.

At the suggestion of Mr Seddon the Chamber of Commerce's motion on the subject of preferential trade relations with the Mother Country is to be illuminated and entrusted to him to present to the King.

The proceeding lasted till an early hour that morning.

AUSTRALIAN.

Received February 6, 11.14 p.m. Sydney, February 6. The troopship Surrey has arrived here from Auckland.

Mr Barton characterises Hon. R. Philp's (Queensland Premier) remarks on the Federation as popgun criticisms, calculated to scare nobody but himself. Before the referendum Mr Philp posed as an ardent Federalist, but his action since tends to the conclusion that he never really understood what.Federation is. Changes of such a comprehensive character are always open to be accompanied by these irritations. Federation solely depends upon the great public opinion.

Mr Philp retorts that he is sorry Mr Barton is so angry, but he knew very little about Queensland, and the pity of it was he would not learn. Received February 7, 0.47 a.m.

Sydney, February 6. The stock returns for New South Wales on January Ist; show an increase in cattle for the year of 39,187 r sheep 1,335,627. Horses have decreased 3217, due to large exportations. Cardinal Moran, accompanied by Dean O'Haran, sails for Rome at the end of the month.