CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10420, 24 July 1895, Page 4

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

The report of the work of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce during the past year, to be submitted by the retiring committee at the annual mooting on Friday afternoon, states, inter alia, that the membership roll has been reduced by three, four having resigned, and one now member bsing added to the roll. While much increase in numbers is not to be expected until a. more decided improvement has taken place in business, the committee are of opinion that in view of the reduction in tha subscription recently made, there should at least be no decrease in the roll. The' statement of receipts and expenditure shows a credit balauce, justifying the opinion expressed by the committee in last yoir's reporfc, that even with the reduced subscription tho ordinary expenditure would bo more than met by the revenue The comm-ttfe express their thanks to Mr John Davie, who contiuues, as in years past, to act as honorary auditor. The chamber's annual donation of prizes to the Boys' High School for English and arithmetic wan made this year, and the president hsnded books to the following successful competitors on the last prize day : For English in upper school, G. E. Thomson; for English in lower school, F: Pilkington ; for arithmetic in upper school, J. Lang ; for arithmetic in lower sohool, J. Henderson. It is suggested that extra prizes for writing iv upper and lower schools be given. In August laat the committee considered tho borrowing proposals then being made by the Government, with the result that a special meeting of the chamber wae called, at which resolution's were carried expretsing tho opinion that the proposal to pledge the credit of the colony in England to the extent of £1,500,000 for the purpose of advancing the same to borrowers in the calony.on security of freehold and leasehold lands add improvements, was a most dangerous innovation; thit the proposal tj borrow a further sum of £250,000 for the purpose of repurchasing lands already sold by the Crown wa-4 quits unnecessary, in view of the large area*' of Crown lands still available for the purposes of settlement; and that the proposal to is^ue £1,000,000 of 4- per cent, consols in the colony might be desirable, provided the money were properly earmarked, and the objects to' which it was to be applied were of a reproductive nature, and were properly defined by stitute'. The committee had forwarded to the Government resolutions disapproving of the proposal to deprive judges of the Supreme Court !of then- right to comment on the "frets- of a case heard by judge and jury, and expressing the opinion that it was essential to the due. administration of justice that all District Court judges-and stipendiary magistrates -with exteuded jurisdictibn should .hold their appointments during good behaviour, with salaries fixed by statute. In consequence of represent>tions made to the committee by a"gas manutac.urer as to the injurious rffects of tho duty of 6d per gallon imposed upon oils, tbey communicated with the Government, 'recommending, a reduction, aud had the satisfaction of learning from the Customs department that the duty would be refunded on a declaration being made that the oil is used solely, for the making of gas. The atteatiou of your committee having been drawn to thrt great amouut of inconvenience and less of time arising from the; want of provision in Dunedin for thn examhutiou of masters and mates in the mercantile marine, a letter wa3 sent to the Minister for Mai me urging the appaintmeut of, an examiner. Tho committte note <vith. pleasure the Government has siuce made aii'nugeaieats which obviate the necessity for all candidates for examination going to the-trouble andexpense of visiting Wellirigton. Considerable correspondence has been received from the Sydney Cnambnr witb reference to a propo-al to make thi use of the new Bertie vocabulary for cypher cod«s ih cabling incumbent ou merchauts and others, and the committee agreed to joiu in a united protest against such proposal. The committee "have urged upou the Government the desirability of carrying lime for agricultural "purposes ou the. railways at as low a rate as possible. Resolutions pas<ed by the committee respecting the long-continued "gtispensu and uncertainty affecting the (juestibu of ths customs tariff aud with reitrence to the prf.po<ed treaty between South Australia and New. Zealand are set oufc in the report. The question of the income tax return forms nnd anomalies in the act received much attention, from the committee, aud they forwarded a letter to the Colonial Treasurer pointing out anomalies that exist in the working of the iocorue tax assessments. They feel sure that the result of tie working of this act having been brought so prominently before the authorities will result in good during the Parliament now in session. Thp commictefr have considered the matter of bock debts, any assignment of which ought, thn) teiuk, to be void wnlos registered uudar " Iks. Chattels Transfer Act 1889," which ought to be altered to enable such registration. Mr Keene, a gentleman from We/stem Australia, who wes ou a visit to New, Zesla.id for the purp->s9 of promoting direct trade between the two colonies, met the committee, and it w*> decided to give him every assistance pos able in forwarding his mission. A nu.ober of.-ofcher matters of greater or less impoitauce have eofc»ged the attention of the committee, such as i-rwdin.j custwmn and charges, freight charges, bills of lading, the preaen-j« of tar in wool*, reciprocity in trade with C«n»d». They have ako b«eu referred to by business people to settle questions of business cusiom and ossge, and trust they have been of use in this direction.