CANTERBURY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4294, 1 March 1901, Page 5

CANTERBURY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

PRESS ASSOCIATION. CHRISTCHURCH, February 28. At the quarterly meeting of the. Chamber of Commerce, the President ,(Mr W. Wood) said it was to be hoped all Australasia would give its support to the “all red” cable. An alternative, line of cablo to the Old Country was most necessary for the protection of trade and commerce in the event of war, and it was worth paying for. We did not so much require to be able to send a cheap cable as to know that messagets would be sent quickly and correctly. At present the cable business was not abreast of the times, and in order to make it so. we must support the Pacific route. Ho maintained that no country, in the world ■was morel dependent on the cable than New Zealand, and yet wo give more attention to quick mails and paid subsiding to foreigners for carrying them. Be referred to' the establishment of steam communication with South Africa ana West Australia, ancLid the frozen meat trade. It now remained to be seen whether producers would elect to reduce the price or the quantity. He was certain that nothing like the quantity of New Zealand lambs had been sold forward this year, but a larger quantity of Australians had, and no doubt Canterbury had lost some customers, having driven them on to the Australian lamb and North Island mutton by demanding such high prices. Large shipments from Australia in December and January lowered the prices, and forward selling was now impossible at the rates demanded in the colony. The harvest had been safely gathered in. Certainly prices were low, but the quality was excellent and the yield abundant. Farmers, manufac-' turers and trades were prosperous, and in the matter of exports of produce and manufacturing for Home trade the colony had started the century well.