THE OFFICERS ENTERTAINED.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 19 April 1909, Page 2

THE OFFICERS ENTERTAINED.

BV THE CHAMBER OF COM. MERCE. SPEECHES BY BJ'^ESS MEN. A SwFVENTR TO CAPTATX BARNE.B. At nono tu.day liclwe<-n 30 find -SO mr-inbi-r-i of tin- N'-Is.jii Chnmlier of Cimmi'ive met to welcome the- oftiecrs .■>f the Hnkaia. Mr 11. 1?. Juim-an, President of the Cli:uuber t [.resided." Mr Duncan said that they had mot to n-i-lcome Captnin Barnes of the RaUaia nnil Captain Bono of the X.Z.S. i',i. (>„ behalf of 'the Cham, bf-r of Commerce he extend.',! to C:ip. tain B:irncs and his officers a very hearty welcome to XcNon. (Ap_ plause). The visit of the firM ocean liner to this port they hailed with the. greatest satisfacion_ as it demonstrated that the comparative isolation of Nelson was a thing of the past. Nel. son had for many years been very much handicapped through having some .thousands of acres of land idle inadequate railway communication' and th<> unsnitableness of the har" Dour, which was too shallow to ailoiv big steamers to come in. Through the energy of Mr Flanagan very large areas of land had been and wore to be opened up; „ut j ,„ asUorj.time railway oominnniiiatiou would be given to thoso who were taking up the land, to enablo them to send their produce to Nelson. Tho safe arrival and safe bcrtbago of tho Rakaia de monstrated the great benefit they would havo in the future in direct communication with England and turope. (Applause). The arrival of the Rakaia was a harbinger „{ in created prosperity to Nelson. ' Thev were optimistic, over it as thev saw before them a largely "increased ex. port trade to London and Europe. He wished Captain Barnes to share the eveur. and to mark it in some tangible farm ho asked him to accept a present of plate. (Loud ap plause.) '■

Mr Duncan I lion handed to Captain Barnes ,-, Pnse containing a solid silver cream jnjj sugar basi,,. and spoons Tho qiirsid.o of the. uaso boro on a sif ver^iait. tjie following inscription-—

I reseated by the Nelson Cham bor of Commerce to Captain Her" bert Charles Barnes. 8.N.1^. nn tl " oooaaion of the visit of his shin ..-. Rakaia. 5628 ton. S' ocean liner to enter this' port "Nolson. N.Z.. April 19 1909'"

Mr Dunoau oonduded bv statins that Captain Barnes had the he.S ff *" hM "i "« Poison ChnXo Si rv a ' n yhopodto siv him again In \ohon on the Ttal<aia ■ „, on » larger boat. (Applause.) Captain Barnes was enfhnsias.i. cally reccved. no said that he was °n;y an ordinary sailor man and quite -nnnsej to public sppaking! But he thanked all for the kindly ' ospres. sions made in reference to' himself He was optimistic in regard to the port of 3ST e Json. and saw no reason why Nelson should not vie with any other port in 'N«w Zoala-nd. (Ap plause.) Tue.ro was a lack of wharf" •IKQ accommodation; but that could be ovn rP nme at little expense. Tho Sakaia had been brought in without the slightest hitch, and he was very pleased at the manner in which the Harbourmaster had handled his stoainn* that morning. (Applause.) Captain Barnes hoped that to.day 's vjsit was tho forerunner of othej visits. He sincerely appreciated' '.the.

presentation that had been made id him. and wished the port of Nelson every success. (Applause.)

Mr J. 11. Cock spoke of the impor tauce of direct communication be. twocn England and Nelson. Owing to the selling of the old sailers, there was less frequent communication be. tween London and Nelson than there used to be. For three .years lie had had in his possession an offer from the Shaw. Savill Company to visit Nelson with 1000 tons of inward car. go. as soon as the port was workable and reasonable despatch could be given. Now they had a successful freezing works, and two companies had been pledged to carry away tho meat. The visit of the ocean liners would do away with an extra charge of nearly £1 a ton on cargo coming to Xolson via Wo!lingt6n. There was a fair harvest of freight for the two companies which had joined forces from 0000 to 8000 tons cargo. He believed that three.monthly calls to Nelson could be made to pay. Out. ward cargo would comprise wool and other lines and in time no doubt fruit. They were brought into di. rect communication with England and no one could feel' more than he did the importance of the event that day. The arrival of the Bakaia was tli e greatest commercial event that had happend in Nelson durng the past 20 or 25 years— (applause)— and he ad. mired the pluck of Captain Baries and Captain B&ne for bringing the steamer hero. (Applause.) Tho fu. turo depended oh the community it. self— in support of the freezing works, the fruit industry, and in com. bining to indent goods." He- would join with the importers of Nelson in joint action. Mr Cock added ' his thanks and eongraulations to Cap tain Barnes, Captain Bone and those concerned in tho harbour 'works -Mr t\ \v. Hamilton, of E. Buxton and Co., Ltd., expressed his pleasuro at tho safe arrival and berthage of tho Hakaia. His firm were lar»o importers „„<] ] l0 eon]d sar tha( . th ° v would join with other importers in [Sotting direct shipments to Nelson (Applause.) •■• • -

MfC. \. Fell said that he TO9 voicing the feelings of the Chamber m congratulating the New Zealand ft Shippmg Company on the pluck i a * sending the Rakaia to Nelson- There were always difficulties in the first much to Captain Bone for the visit fl.e Rakaia that day. He was snre that the >,cw Zealand Shipping Con , pany and the Shaw Savill cfmpS would work together in sending ?heir steamers to Nelson. Ho mo^l the health of the New SUffgg^ o^i7n a B y one COUPletl »* « went on to say that the N.Z. S. Co. e£ •d to have done its share i n promoting he welfare and progress of the Dom.? ■'■on, ,„ every instance anticipating the requirements of the Dominion in ft! « e thTr t r d r TKey had to look v M A >i? munificent, steamers pro to « y ,i , c ?!" pany up to the P re « n( . to see that ths produce of the Do! ni.ii.on was carried by them » ateamew second to none in the wo,-W. There were many among them, m doubt, X membered the Company'^ fleet of grace f.»l Mihn fl ships with which tho Com: pany started its business, and which brought out to this land of promise so many passengers, numbers of whom were now men of wealth and position. Then followed that yacht-like fleet of steamer* so famous and world-renownsd for UieiV rapid passages, and first giving that regularity of despatch for the conveyance of frozen produce which was of sueh vital importance to the Dominion today, and nl.-o provided for importers a regularity of supply, and enabling them lo do with less locked-up capital in the way of stock than had formerly besn the case. No one port had been favoured more than another, and if Nelson had not been visited before this it was not the company's fault. Now, owing to the pluck and perseveranc? of the Nelson Freezing Company, and the ceaseless; energy of the Nelson Freezing Ooro.^ pany and tho ceaseless energy ot the Harbour Board, "Here we are." 1 In the name of the. Company, Captain Bone expressed the hope and wish "That this delightful part of the Dominion will so lucr-eas? its exports of frozen produce by the Nelson Refrigerating Company, and its exports of wool, hops, and fruit bv others, as to necessitate" a fortnightly call for the said cargo by "the N.Z.S. Co. steamers, and that the Harbour Board and it; worthy Chairman will see a fleet of ocesiu strain - alongside Us w hmves. Jlav i,, : | iV c- long to enjov this dlii;htfnl r-ight." (Applause). Mr Rouse, a director of the Nelson Freeing Co. was called on for a speech. He congratulated Captains Barnes and lt'ii> on their safe entry into the Nelson harbour. Less than two years he said had elapsed since the initial steps for the formation of a Freezing Company flad been started.

_ Mr Duncan referred to the harbour improvement works. That day's events must give great satisfaction -to the Chairman and members of the Harbour Board. There had been a considerable degree of criticism of the Harbour Hoard, and it was right that there should be criticism: but when a work was completed to su-:h an extent criticism should be discontinued. (Hear, hear.) He v.nnld have liked local burlies lo h.ive 'h.iru.l in that day's function, but,-o\v.in K mainly to the holidny:. tlio meetinL' -jailed for to venire combined acliou had fallen through. W'O (h:.mbor of Commerce offered; taa. Harbour li.;aid tli> heartiest cungratula. ' tloiis of the eo ni-nni i,i! mon of the city. (IJutir, hear.) For the .success achieved so far every credit was due to the Chairman and members of the, IJi-m-rJ. The whole district was thankful at the success that had been achieved. .Mr Duncan referred to . the cTI.-at extent of good done by Mr Fianagun as Con.missk uer of "Crown Lands in Nelson. Some 250,000 acres <>f l.ind had been opened up, with 70,003 acres to follow shortly. Greatcredit was due to the Railway Manager Mr Edwards) for the manner in whicK lie bad arranged for the carrying of the frozen meat to the Rakaia. Mr Duncan concluded by congratulating the Freezing Company on their enterprise. i\Jr W. S. Hampson said that tho e*. :stence of the Freezing Company was the result of the effort- of Messrs Corngan and Rome, (applause.) But for t.ho=e two gentlemen there would, bayei U?e« uo Rakaiii the»o that day. (Applause, i

Mr O.oi'i'igan, in acknowledging Mr