CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 5009, 9 March 1877, Page 3

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Xh ' + Ch&mlf tno . Committee meeting of Chamber n! r .°? CJommeroe m hold at the o’clock ,trwt *** t i at half-pwt two £• Cunnf!^* 7 afternoon j preeent—Me«»r» ich& fd««n ßh41 * j 0 Inglia, Stead, M.r» L^’ n^ #r,on « Duncan, Huial, Bi r ,i ' “*- rh «<»on, Oonnal, Tomer, and Xh® r Youn «' th « <^o*d«« eit ‘ibiti 0n ?' ? **» w *y to vuit the Sydney * i° b# bald in April next; wae 011 Paooommodtted with a eeat Th e H«ht hand. ?tQuir #»lit?* 0 H*at barineee would •>«e explanation at hie bands. That

morning ho hod boon favoured with an introduction to Mr Young, the Canadian Commissioner, who wat about to visit the Sydney Exhibition, on behalf of the Canadian Govern, ment. Ho had cxpreiiod a with to meet that Chamber before leaving for the South, whieh ho wae about to do on the following morning, and he (the speaker), had consequently invited him to bo pretont that afternoon, and to give them tome idea of the nature of hit miition to the Colony. Such knowledge might be of mutual advantage to the Oolonict of Canada and Now Zealand, and ho wat quite •ore the Chamber, if it could be of any tervioo to Mr Young would be, and would thow him every possible attention. Ho would now atk Mr Young to addrott them.

Mr Young said he was greatly obliged to the President for having given him that opportunity of addressing the Chamber. The occasion of hit present visit to the Colony was to be present at the Sydney Exhibition. At tho late Philadelphia Exhibition, Canada had been a very extensive exhibitor of various kinds of products, particularly machinery. Those had secured so much attention, that tho Australian Oommitionors had communicated with (he Canadian Government, and expressed a wish that tho products should be sent to Sydney to be on view at the exhibition, wbioh would open there on April 10 next. Those views wore endorsed by tho Sydney exhibitors, and the Government had consented to pay all freight and other charges connected with the removal of the exhibits. A ship had been loaded at Now York, and another—the Gem—at Montreal, with products of Canadian manufacture. The conditions that hod been laid down had only been accepted on tho understanding that tho goods would be tho property of the parties exhibiting them. Tho Government doomed it a fitting opportunity to state to the Governments of Australia tho great desirability of extending their commercial relations with the groat Colony of Canada. The Canadian Government had selected him to represent them; and ho hod on landing at Auckland thought it a good opportunity to tee and learn all he could before proceeding to Sydney. He had communicated with the Auckland and Wellington Chambers of Commerce. He had alto seen his Excellency the Governor, to whom he had explained hie mission, and his Excellency had agreed with him that the bonds of amity of commerce might be still further cemented between these Colonies. He now gave the same explanation to them, so that they might, if they thought fit, send a commissioner to look at the products of Canada, to see if they deserved encouragement, and whether or no they could be as cheaply imported as from any other part of the world. If they could, the Canadian Government wished to make an arrangement to sell to New Zealand goods of that class. They comprised a vast variety of agricultural implements, in the manufacture of which Canada took the lead. It likewise produced vast quantities of edged tools and dredging machines, in wbioh latter, indeed, they stood foremost in the world, as would bo shown by the amount of dredging they hod done in the river St Lawrenoe. If the Chamher at Christchurch thought fit to represent to the Government the desirability of sending someone to see and report upon the products of Canada, then bis remarks that afternoon would not have been in vain. Canada was making very great strides cot only in the mannfacture of machinery, bat also in other directions. She was now making a railway across the Continent to the Pacific Ocean, which woold save a distance of 750 miles for those proceeding to China. That railway had now been surveyed for the past two years, and two-thirds of it were located. The present Government were going on with it steadily, and it would be completed in about 10 years, or at all events 16 years. The people in these Colonies were interested as much in that railway as were the people of Canada. [Mr Young proceeded to explain the route taken by the railway, as shown by a map in his possession.] If any of the gentleman present would like to ask him any questions upon the subject mentioned by him, or the matter generally, be would be very glad to answer them. The Chairman said he thought they owed their thanks to Mr Toong for having given them so very lucid and interesting an explanation of his mluum. It would be very much to their interest in New Zealand to know about the productions of Canada, and the advantages that might be derived therefrom They had all beard a great deal about the valuable nature of American machinery. For his own part, he was of opinion that the Government should send a Commissioner to the Sydney Exhibition, as well as to all others from wbioh they were likely to derive any benefit. That brought up the question whether the Chamber should be represented in Sydney; and later on in the meeting, ho would ask them for an expression of opinion on that subject—whether it would be desirable for them, as a Chamber, to have a representative at the Sydney Exhibition. Mr Young said the exhibits were only under the control of the Government during the Exhibition; they wore afterwards under the control of the exhibitors or their agents. Mr Hassal would like to ask whether, among this machinery, there was any agricultural machinery. Mr Young replied that the greater portion of it was agricultural machinery. Mr Hassal observed tbat there was a new reaping and binding machine that was likely to produce valuable results in agricultural districts. Were there any of these machines among those mentioned by Mr Young ? Mr Young was not quite sure. Ho would, however, be able to tell on orrival at Sydney. Mr Hassal said this country was principally a pastoral and agricultural one. We had not much timber in this part of New Zealand, though there was plenty of it in other parts, and he fancied that the machinery that would bo most appreciated, at leaft in this Province, would be agricultural machinery. Mr Young said he would leave tho next morning overland for Dunedin, and would ba better able to judge after travelling by that route. At present of course he was not speaking of hts own knowledge. From what ho had heard be thought the machinery bo bad referred to was the very thing that would suit the settlers here. They were greatly used on tho level plains of Western Canada, where they could be brought into full play, end had been of vast benefit to the country. Ha thought they would find them peculiarly well adopted in every respect for that part of the country. The Chairman said before Mr Young left he. as Chairman, should like toproposea vote of thanks for tho explanation he (Mr Young) bad given them. He might safely say the Chamber would endeavour m wav to forward the mission which Mr Young had in view. He had great pleasure in con▼eying the thanks of the Chamber to tbat gontkmam acknowledging the vote of he bad seen and learned, to give a good aocoui.t .ettlement and judge how In bi. country ““u. b'nt h-d increased year by bftd boen mftde 0 f a one instance whor bo increased width of regp ectively, to carrythe troffio through. In enable them to a bftffl vessels of two years they down from Lake 1000 tons burden comiJj tfa them tbe mer . Superior to carry Y ork. New Zealand ebandise brought to » * in f aot , very had a great future fortrard to and few oonld P^°F ba greatness of their future; justly estimate tb g w£mbJ in a f oW years,, what seemed la g y r om w hatho had seem but a® , bad n 0 doubt that at seen ' b !“L d ora°but in D their infancy, but present they . they would grow and tike every be « o f el y reach dimensions far present anticipations, beyond their P withdrew. Mr Young tb » the following. resoAfter some u f’}**!__« That the Chairman lution was agree® • Genera i Government, communicate wi j opinion that a Comthat this Chamber is« P inted from the SwSoHlSdtvisit the Sydney Exhibit**.,

and report upon the variooi agrioultural and there <» our “ TiD B implemontt exhibited

The selection of a aite for a chamber wat considered in Committee, at alto a letter at to the advisability of introducing into the Public Workt Act a by-law under which the Traffic Manager could bo tued in the Resident MogiaIrate t Court for damages cauiod to gooda in tranait by railway. The following letter wot road by the Score, tary

Department of Justice, Hlr , Wellington, F*b, 16. 1877. bare honour, by the direction of tho Hon tho Minister of Justioo, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th instant, in which yeu urge that tho law that absentees cannot bo sued in a Resident Magistrate’s Court oxoopt by consent of their attorneys should bo amended. In reply, I am to state that tho Hon tho Minister of Justice agrees with you in tho importance of the question, and that it will bo considered at onoo, with a view to amended legislation. I lu vo tho honour to be, Sir, your most obedient Servant, B. Q. Fountain, Under Secretary. Tho Chairman Canterbury Chamber of Commerce.