WELLINGTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10594, 1 March 1895, Page 5

WELLINGTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

[Peb Pbess Association.] . WELLINGTON. Fbb.,2B. At . the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce to-night, the President, Mr James M’Lellan, said that so far as he could learn from inquiry never beforehad the president of the Chamber been compelled to review a year during which the prices of our exported .produce had baen so abnormally low and quite out of proportion to the cost of production. Many reasons wore advanced for this/state of affairs, but in his opinion it was to supply and demand and to ruinous competition the whole world over that the cause of the exceedingly low level of prices should be ascribed. He . strongly urged that new markets should be found for our products, and he hoped that the Government would do more in this direction. China, Japan, India and Canada should be looked to for markets. On the subject of the depression he said that there was a feeling that the bulk of the legislation passed during the last few years had been inimical to the general interests of the colony, its workers and producers. Still the condition of New Zealand was less unfavourable than that of some of the neighbouring colonies, and a substantial increase was being made in 7 the wealth, producing power of the colony by the opening up and settlement of new lands and the development of industries. Ha expressed satisfaction with the action of the Government in refusing to relax the conditions imposed by the Dairy Industry Act. Carelessness in manufacture and exShad affected the position of New Zea’b batter on the Home market. On the subject of the proposed reciprocal treaty'with South Australia, he admitted that the Colonial Treasurer was actuated by the very best intentions when he entered into an arrangement with that, colony, and that it would be distinctly advantageous to New Zealand, had Mr Ward refrained from committing this colony to a monopoly with South Australia. So much importance did he (Mr M’Lellan) attach to this monopoly of reciprocity that he hoped the protest would, if necessary, be carried to the Secretary of State. As to the proposed Wellington exhibition, ha doubted whether the Wellington people would be prepared to find the money required, bat if they were he would call a meeting to proceed further with the proposal. The report was adopted.