MEETINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12211, 5 March 1903, Page 2 (Supplement)

MEETINGS.

. m ■ AUCKLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. The annual meeting of the Auckland Chamber' of Commerce .was held on February 27 at the Harbour Board: Buildings, Mr. J. H. Upton presiding over a fair attendance of members. "-'".,- : '.. _ / i,- -.... '_ .' The report of the council' Stated that, in keeping with several years past, the year.had been a prosperous ; one. : The bank. accountshowed a balance in hand of £433 25,. .as against £3*l 2s 7d at the same date in 1901. The trustees for the Exhibition surplus had advanced the amount requisite far progress' payments on the new building. TUB report stated also that railway matters showed no improvement, and, passing on:td the pillage of cargo, urged merchants to '; continue to report cases of lass,': as the London Chamber 'was continuing to prosecute its Work iii conjunction with the London police force. Reference was made to the conference of Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand, and it was mentioned: that the <•: next conference Would take place in Auckland about April, 1903 .The report also dealt with the settlement of the waste lands of the province. The statement ,of accounts for the year ended December 31 last' showed an income of £621 15s lOd, made up of a balance of £341 2s 7tl, carried forward from previous year and £280 13s 3d members' subscriptions. There were a number of small disbursements, leaving a balance in hand of £433 /is. ,lhe Exhibition surplus account was as follows :-- Cash surplus and interest, ' £1955 >a lbs M, buUder'"£ £50 total £200£, 16s2d. The principal payments were ) £800 for-land, and £500 for progress on blinding, leading a balance in the bank, of £633 19s. ■..,>,-., . The report and balance-sheet were adopted on the motion of the Chairman, Who congratulated the members on the; financial position of the Chamber, ■■; and the. satis factory progress made by the city. Seconded by Mr F. G. .EWington. -.',-, '~-'•, . The Chairman" delivered a lengthy and interesting address, covering a wide field, ae referred at the outset to the; great prosperityenjoyed by Auckland ;at the present Cef The, Customs return, fo,^tfie .city showed that the irimorts reached £0,U0,0w, an increase over 1901 of £90,005, or about x V,»v r.pnf ■' There were increased imports Unitedfmgtlom 0f.£251 ; 900 while from the Commonwealth they were less by £164,500, and from: the Pacific Island less bv £21,900. The exports reachedl ±«i,iio,o(o, an increase of £190,183, or 9.9 per cent. Sand sent £116,200 more to the Commonwealth than in 1901, and to the United States £46,200 more, and to the I acme islands £14,000 more; The Customs revenue increased by £61,528 lls-3 per cent. This lublished » record. :; The increase of the exnort of butter was £29,242, or? 25.25 per cent of frozen meats, £42,058, or 9.5 per cent.'! while wool represented a decrease of £35,080, and timber a decrease Of ±,W,itW. The decreased value of wool exported was due to the fact that the returns for the year included the period of low prices, of 19011902 though there was', also. a decrease in quantity of 296,4641b. Next year * returns would show the strong rise, of which the benefit had already been felt. he Chanman went oh to deal with the kauri timber trade, the growing importance of the butter industry, the kauri gum trade, the large, increase in the export of New Zealand flax, being 2020 tons, or 121 per cent, in quantity, and of value £68,605,, or 206.36 per cent.; shipping prosperity; • gold i tabling .showing an increased export in gold of £25,552, or 3.66 per cent.; the factories industrial conciliation and arbitration, and other important matters. Coming to the question of land settlement, he remarked that the refusal to open our Northern land, Crown and native, had long been felt to be a grievous wrong to this district. It was satisfactory to know that in consequence of a very Strong and constant pressure the Government was at last beginning to recognise that the people of this district would no longer remain quiet under the gross neglect they had been made to suffer, and a large area was about to be Queued. ■ The difference between the treatment of Auckland and that of Other provinces was .remarkable, j Here, where there was. abundance of good land m the hands of the Government, and still more in native hands, very little-had been done to make it available for settlement; whereas . in the South,- where the population was less than in the North, land had been bought by the Government in large areas to promote settlement. ' Out, of aft expenditure of £2,117,352 for the acquisition of estates, only £101,794 had been : expended in Auckland. Thus ever £2,000*000 had' been expended in the South, while in the North there were hundreds of thousands of acres of land in the Government hands waiting for the settler. Settlement also was hindered by the position of the native owner. No one would desire to see the native put at fi disadvantage, but surely, what was Sauce for the goose was sauce for the gander. If the land of Europeans' could be coinpulsofily token to permit of • settlement, I why should not the laud of the native be subject to the same law? Much of the finest land in this district Was native land, and if the opening up of it had to wait,upon the t operation of the slow machinery of the Native Councils) it would probably be a long time before anything at all was done. , The native need not fear the result of his land being taken under the Lands for Settlement Act, for it was a remarkable' fact that, hotwithstandiug the large compulsory acquisitions from Europeans, nractically no complaints were heard from the sellers. Evidently they did not regard it Its a hardship. ' In the .matter of railways, we were still an isolated people. There was probably Ho other instance in the civilised world of so large a population being destitute in like maimer . of railway communication with the outside. It really appeared some time back as if a genuine attempt Would at last; be made to complete the railway south and to push on the ■northern extension. But : the promises of the Government were made;to-be broken, and unless oilr representatives in the Housepractically all of whom were pledged to see that some substantial progress should be made—used their poWer to the utmost, .he greatly feared we should again be disappointed. The Chamber of Commerce would aSsist the Railway. League to Secure a more rapid rate of construction. ; , It was difficult iil this matter, as in that 'of land settlement, to refrain from comparing the treatment meted out to this district with that enjoyed. by the South. There they had long had the advantage of a complete trunk line, yet, notwithstanding, construction went on far more rapidly in the South than here. : Mi'- Voile's published statements.; on this point were incontrovertible. , In respect to railway development, the colony was sadly behind hand." * ," Five ot- : six years ago that effete old country* Great Britain, decided to make a railway'of between 500 and 600 miles in length boring into the heart of tropin cal Africa. It Was completed, being carried through at the rate of rather more than 100 miles a yearns* Thirty : ,' : years had 1 , elapsed since the railway :to :Wellington- Was. commenced, and there remained less ; than 100 miles to. he completed. .Great Britain had shown that :it. could l be done in one year; was it beyond all hope that our Government would rise to the occasion-and, finish -it in time to enable Ml*. Chamberlain, When he came, to travel by rail from the largest city in the colony to the official Capital? 'Passing on to the question of the constitution of the Harbour Board, Mr. Upton said ■he agreed with Mr. Philson, their 1 representative upon the Board, as to the need for re--form, and he hoped; that When/it -■ came it would be radical and broad.; Our local government did not excite admiration, but the reason, in his ; opinion, was 'not: that ; those who carried it on Were incapable or;neglectful, but rather the inefficiency of the system. f tt place of the present system of small bodies ethic independently .'of. each other, he adVoatedotie large local government council—3o ir 35 in .number— On a broad - and reasonable basis, to'administer all out public affairs. Such a council ' would necessarily act by committees, and for its various depart' ments of work ; Would. select from its members those Whose special knowledge and aptitude best fitted them i to undertake particm lar departments of work— public health, fihahce, city improvements, 'shipping, harbour works, etc., and so oh. The recommendations of these committees would come before; the general "council before ':'. being finally decided ' upon.' He considered that such a council Would be of no less importance than were the - old r provincial councils",' the power of ;:■ legislation : excepted. ' ■ In conclusion, the president ; alluded ito the ' immense advantages accruing from the completion "of the Facifio cable,: the revolution in street traffic brought about by the introduction .of the electric tram service, and the new building -■ now being erected, which would,:, he hoped, ; ; signalise , a'. new J era Cof activity : and usefulness for the Chamber. -: On the: motion of the Chairman, seconded by. Mr. ; Carr, : Mr. B. Kent was elected president for the ensuing year, i Mr. John Reid was elected vice-president. The following were n elected :to serve on the council ■ Messrs. M. A. Clark, T. Flnlayson, Graves Aickin, George FowldSj. M.H.R., fJ. M. Mennie, J. B, Upton, A. H. Nathan,; W. J.W. Philson, A. B. Roberton; "J. Wiseman, T. Hodgson, A. C. Whitney r Hugh f Campbell, S, Vkde, W. B.jpeyland,;©, R. Caldwell; R. Hpbbs, and the Hon. B. • Mitchelson. v Messrs W. B. : Leyland, D, ;R= Caldwell, and R. Hobbs ,{ are ; new members. ','•■' Mr.'. E. Wavmo utb was , re-elepted auditor. '.."'"') Mr. W. J. Napier proposed a vote of thanks to the retiring president and council. Mr. Cart seconded ftnd'Mr.Ewington supported. The resolution was cordially approved. j , Mr. Upton briefly replied on' behalf Of the £ council and himself. ' ' ,i ''-*',*' "- '■.'•' .- '•, • . ' ; ~ \ ■• 1' l '•