CANTERBURY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9130, 1 June 1891, Page 4

CANTERBURY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

At the quarterly meeting of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce on Friday, Mr W. Recce, the president, in the course of his address eaid that the general impression appeared to be that but slight improvement had taken placo in the value of business for last quarter in comparison with the one preceding. Whilst trado was devoid of anything that might be construed into briskness, there was still the same sound feeling about it, and payments had been kept up in a most satisfactory manner, thanks partly to the re-adjustment of credits by the merchants, extra inducements being given for cash payments. The statistics of the harvest showed a very considerable falling off in the yield—about 25 per cent, on the staple crops. They also show the area of land in crop to be very much less tban usual, which fact, under the circumstance of the bad season, must'be satisfactory, the cause being probably partly the low prioe3 of the previous season, but in many cases the result of farmers deciding to pay more attention to sheep, in which case the loss will be much less to the province than contemplated. Theconsiderable advance in price of grain would also materially assist in making up for the bad yield. Little did they think a few years ago that New Zealand would be co well supplied with tbe means of transporting her -rapidly increasing exportß to the markets of the world, or that importers would have offered tbem a steam service of such excellent quality at sailer rates. The main advantage to merchants was that, combined with the reduced cable rates now offered by Reuters Company, they would be enabled to turn over stocks more quickly, and by this means see a little return fOr their labour, which had not been the case of late. The returns of the census, although only confirming what was anticipated, owing to the number that have left our shores the last few years, were none the more pleasant to realise. Whilst not grudging the Wellington province the prosperity, the natural position of the capital and the opening up in small holdings of the back country, must of necessity produc, they were face to face with the fact that Canterbury had uot progressed as she ought. It was satisfactory to note that the oftrepeated contention of the ohamber was beiug generally accepted throughout New Zealand, viz, that the population should be increased by inducing desirable farming settlers to join us aud assist in developing the resources a# this naturally fertile oountry.