MERCANTILE MARINE ASSOCIATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7382, 17 July 1885, Page 6

MERCANTILE MARINE ASSOCIATION.

Thb ordinary fortnightly meeting of the members of the Mercantile Marine Association wa3 held last night at the Harbour Board Rooms. There wai a fair attendance of members, Mr. G. W. Owen (the President) occupying the chair. After the Secretary had read the minutes of the last meeting (which were confirmed) and the correspondence, Mr. D. Oxley (the Treasurer) rendered a report of the sub-committee, which had been appointed to obtain a suitable room for the use of the members. Be stated that No. 4 of Mr. Compton's offices had been rented and furnisned, and was now open each day from nine o'clock in the morning until a similar huir at night for the use of members; that the association's valuable library of nautical works was also at the room for references, besides the files of latest Australian, Fijian, English, and Southern newspapers. Tne action of the subcommittee in this direction was confirmed by the meeting. Captain D. H. McKenzie drew the attention of the meeting to the advisability of the association taking action to obtain the exemption of certificates from pilotage made general, and also to the necessity for the association taking immediate action to suppress the trading of foreign-owned vessels on tho New Zealand ooast, and taking freights at so low a rato as to push out of the field the New Zealand-owned vessels. For instance, vessels were coming from America, carrying cargo for two or more ports in New Zealand. At the first New Zealand port of arrival the vessel put out so much cargo, and having to proceed on further along the coas' to laud the balance of her cargo, she took in cargo at suoh a low rate as to exolude local-owned vessels from competing. In America it was known that by sending vessels first to a Southern port, thoy could obtain cargoes of grain, &0., for any other port, so that it paid them to take freights at a low rate, as by their charter they wertbound to proceed on from the first port of call to the secoud or third, and so the lowest rate offered was acoepted. The Chairman thought that it was a great injustice to the New Zealand shipping interests, and if the merchants would only set their faoce against shipping by vessels calling at two ports this diffioulty might be got over. The present state of affairs fell very hard upon New Zealand shipowners. After several othe> gentlemen had spoken, it was resolved that a sub-committee be appointed, consisting of the President (the Chairman), Captain D. H. McKenzie, and Mr. D. Oxley, to draw up a petition upon the subject, such petition to be forwarded to Mr. E. Mitohelson (the late President of the Association) for presentation to Parliament. Nine new members were proponed and accepted as members, after which votes of thanks were passed to Mr. D. Oxley and Captain W. L. Cromarty for their exertions towards the advancement of the Association, and to the Chairman for presiding. —Mr. Owen, in thanking the members, said that he was extremely proud of the honourable position of President to which he had been recently elected, and expressed his desire to further the interests of the Association in every possible way.— The meeting then adjourned.