CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 753, 6 August 1886, Page 19

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

The quarterly meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce was held last Friday. Mr J. Duthie, vice-president, occupied the chair, and there were about 20 members present. The Chairman reported that a letter had been addressed to the Government on the question of allowing tradesmen the privilege of paying fines inflicted for breach of police regulations without necessitating attendance at court, and a reply had been received that the matter would receive the consideration of the Minister of Justice. He (the chairman) was afraid the Chamber would hear no more of it for a year or two. Mr A. A. Barnett referred to the Inconvenience of the hour (3 o’clock), for which the meetings of the Chamber were called. He moved that future meetings be called for 3.30.

Mr J. C. Harris thought 4 o’clock would suit business men better, and moved as an amendment that the Council consider the matter with a view to decide on the most suitable hour. The amendment was carried. HARBOR BOARD ENDOWMENTS,

Mr Dransfield said he had no donbt that members of the Chamber were aware that the Harbor Board had passed a resolution to the effect that Parliament be petitioned for endowments, and that the Corporation had been asked and consented to join the Board in the petition. He now desired the Chamber to join with those bodies in the endeavour to obtain adequate endowments. The matter had been- so well threshed out that he thought nothing now could be said about it. Mr Ferguson, the secretary to the Board, had drawn up a state ment showing how the Wellington Board had

been treated as compared with the Harbor Boards of the Colony. The subject was a very important one as affecting the interests of the port, as, unless endowment*, were granted, the construction of a dock would have to stand over for very many years, as he did to; think anyone vsould say that the dock could be made out of revenue* received from the wharf. The Board had approached the proposal to construct a dock iu a*very liberal spirit, having passed a resolution that the revenue from Its present small endowment should be set aside for tbe purpose so* i-oon as the Government had granted the other endowments applied for. He thought they should not leave a stone unturned in their endeavor to get endowments, and he moved. “ That the Chamber gives its hearty snppoik to the Harbor Board in its endeavor to induce the Government to give the Board adequate endowments’,'”’ Mr John Plimmer seconded the motion. He thought, however, ’that in applying to Parliament they were applying to the Government, and they could not expect much when they considered that the representatives of the city were continually voting again it the Government on all important questions. The Chairman was sorry to hear Mr Plimmer’s remarks. He thought the matter should be settled on its merits without reference to supporting any Government. Comparing the position of Auckland with that of Wellington, he said he had been informed that within the next five years the Auckland Harbor Board would have an annual revenue from its endowments of £50,000. In the face of that they would be peimanently very heavily handicapped. It was upon such grounds that they should approach Parliament. He deprecated reference to the support or otherwise given by the city members to the Government. Mr J. R George thought the Harbor Board should look around and see what lands were available, and then ask the Government for a definite endowment. Mr J. G. Harris thought there was nothing like anticipating good. The unanimous action of the Harbor Board, Corporation, and that Chamber would have a good effect. Wellington was the worst endowed city in the Colony, in harbor matters as well as in education. The dock was a crying necessity. Port Chalmers was moving for the building of another dock, and the members would get all they wanted by making themselves a nuisance iu the House. If the Wellington members did tbe same, they would also get what they wanted. Mr O. C. Williams agreed with all that had been said, particularly with Mr George's suggestion that they Should go to Government or Parliament with some definite aim, for until they did that they would be put off from time to time.

Mr T. K. Macdonald said the harbor of Wellington was the shipping port of the Colony, and if there were no Harbor Board the Government would have to provide funds for improving it. Wellington was the colonial port, and the improvements required were for the benefit of the whole Colony, and they should demand persistently, mo'nth after month, their rights in the matter. He agreed that they should worry the Government, although perhaps not to the extent suggested of making themselves a nuisance. Mr A. A. Baruett understood that a small, piece of land offered had been refused. He thought that a pity, as there was no harm dope iu accepting what was offered and demanding more. Mr Pearce explained that last year Government had offered two or three small sections on the reclaimed land, but the Board had refused to accept them as a final settlement of its claims. Since then Government bad made a better offer, and negotiations were now going on for the acceptance of this offer as a settlement of the Board’s claim for the site taken away for a Government printing office.

Mr Dransfield said he saw by a telegram that the Lyttelton Harbor Board passed a resolution to support Wellington’s demands for endowment, but he was of opinion that Wellington would be better without such support, as it msaut that Lyttelton, which had been gorged with endowments, would want more. He agreed with Mr George, that in approaching Government it would be well to point out a suitable endowment. The motion was then put and carried unanimously.

SHAREBROKERS ACT. Mr D. T. Stuart moved :—“ That, iu. the opinion of this Chamber it is desirable that a Sharebrokers Act be prepared during the recess, and that copies of the same be furnished to the Chambers of Commerce and the sharebrokers of New Zealand prcilHto ita introduction in the next session of Parowhent. and that it be an instruction to the Conncil of this Chamber to adviao the Government accordingly.” He said a Bill had been introduced into the Upper House by Mr Buckley, aud thrown out. Great difficulty had been experienced in getting a copy of the measure, which contained clauses of monstrous injustice. For instance, it proposed that no sharebroker should be an auditor or servant of a public company, which, if carried, would have compelled many to throw up the business. Mr J. C. Harris seconded the motion pro forma. He thought it would be best for the sharebrokers to meet together and draft a Bill, which could then be submitted to the various Chambers of the Colony. After some discussion the motion was carried. At this stage Mr Travers, President of the Chamber, took the chair. THE MANAWATU GORGE RAILWAY. Mr J. Duthie moved “ That in the opinion of this Chamber, it is important in the interests of the district and Colony to complete the connection of the Napier and West Coast railways by the Manawatu Gorge, at an earlier date than is contemplated by the Public Works Statement.” Mr Duthie said he had tabled the motion because he saw by the Public Works Statement that it was not contemplated going oa with the Manawatu Gorge line for two years. This would delay the completion of the through line for four or five years, which the trading community had never contemplated. He had heard that the Premier stated tbafcwas the intention of the Government, as they did not want to play into the hands of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company. That seemed to him (Mr Duthie) a monstrous proposal. The couutry to be affected by the railway was progressing very rapidly in settlement, yet all goods had to be carted at Yery great expense through the Gorge. Everybody

had thought the work would be constructed during the next two years, and the opening of the line would cause much traffic between the two coasts and Wellington, it was of the greatest importance to us as a trading community that the work should be taken up. He knew of no work in the Colony, considering the amount of settlement -now going on in the district, which so much needed construction as this piece of railway. It ought to be provided for in the present Loan Bill, and he thought pressure should be brought to bear upon the Government with that object. Mr Macdonald thought the Chamber was (very much indebted to Mr Duthie for bring- - ing his proposal forward. He had been going through the reports of the Chamber for the last four or five years, and found that frequent applications had be-n made to the Go- ! "vernmeut for the construction of the through j linejto Hawkes Bay. He referred to the rei solutions passed, and urged that an effort be | made to bring about the result so much | needed. With regard to the Wellington and Manawatu Railway, Government would have nothing to pay for the goodwill if they de--1 cided to purchase the line. The line was practically the Government’s on the | payment of 5 per cent over the construction. The remark of the Premier was inerplainable. He thought Mr Duthie should i follow np nis motion by initiating some sort of agitation. The delay in the construction I of the line seriously affected the settlers, and it was the duty of the Chamber to urge j that the work should be done. Mr Pearce said the time seemed to be very opportune for bringing forward the motion, ; inasmuch as the schedule to the Loan Bill was now before Parliament. At was very disappointing to all to see the slow rate of j progress of the railway system in this part of j the Colony. It was understood that there was a promise that the Gorge line should be constructed simultaneously with the Welling-i ! ton and Mauawatu Line. He thought the ! line between Palmerston and Asliurst could j' very well be done, as the country was level, I and he also believed it would pay very weU on i account of the valuable timber in the district, ! There could be no difficulty in the Government getting the work completed within the ! next two years. Mr Travers saw less reason for delay in the j communication through the Gorge, as Govern- | ment had already constructed a bridge across the river. When he was at Woodville not long ago he was informed that the cost of j carrying goods from Palmerston to Woodville, 17 miles, was in excess of that from | Wellington to Palmerston. It was a monatrous thing that the population of Wood- ! ville, numbering 1300, should be com- | polled to pay so much because the connecI tion was 9 not made by the Government. He thought what the Premier had : -said must have been caused by a slight ebullition of temper, as he (Mr Travers) had gone through the Gorge with the Premier, j who had then expressed surprise that the work had not been done before, and sa:d the ! line ought to be constructed. He (the speaker) had also bean told by the present Minister of Public Works that he looked j upon the line as one of the most essential i works in the Colony. Mr Travers then described the valuable nature of the country I which the railway would open up, the effect through communication would have upon Wellington and the Colony, and eondemmed past Governments for grossly neglecting their duty in not opening communication between j."' the East and West Coasts through a small gap in the mountains. The motion was then put and carried unanimously. Mr Dnthie then moved “ That a deputation consisting of Messrs Travers, Drang field, i George, Harcourt, Rose, Macdonald, N. i Reid, A. H. Miles, D. T. Stuart, Shannon, and O. C. Williams wait upon the Premier at as early a date as can be arranged, to urge j upon him the immediate prosecution of the ! work referred to.” He explained that he had arranged to go into . the country, but had remained in town in order to bring this ! matter forward. He would be unable, bow- ; ever, to form one of the deputation. Mr Harris see-onded the motion. Afr PfWiiE 4 *- whose name had also been I included in the proposed deputation, explained that he also had to leave town. The motion was then put and carried. WHAEF AT TE AHO. Mr Dransfield explained what had been done at the Harbor Board in connection with the proposed wharf at Te Aro since February last up to date. In the course of bis remarks he said the effect of the action of the City Council in connection with this matter at its last meeting was to haug up the question for an indefinite period, and meant that an expenditure of probably £IOO,OOO would be stopped. This was all the business.