Chamber of Commerce

Southland Times, Issue 13508, 16 July 1896, Page 2

Chamber of Commerce

The ordinary monthly meeting of this body, held on Tuesday, was attended by Messrs A. F. Hawke (president), Turnbull, Tothill, Gilmour, Dunlop, Instone, McFarlane, Nichol, and Matheson. A circular from the Department of Agriculture raised the question of uniformity of bags and weight of produce, and the matter was discussed at great length. The Chamber adopted a motion expressing the opinion that it was desirable that uniformity of size should prevail over the colony, and that the size principally used in Southland (44in.), was the most suitable. A circular from theHaweraChamberurged the co-operation of chambers in the matter of securing a penny postage rate for all inland letters. The matter elicited a number of remarks upon the disproportionate rates at present in force, 2|d taking a letter to the other side of the world and only a |d less being charged for one going beyond the town boundary a few yards. The surplus earned by the department lasjj year— Ls7,47B—was also spoken of as ’a reason that might be advanced in support of the proposal, it being universally acknowledged that the postal department should not be regarded as revenue-producing. The conclusion come to however, was that the 2d rate was not a hardship to anyone, and that redaction to a Id would so reduce the revenue of the department, for a time at least, that it would require to be made up some other way, and that, as the Government could not afford to do without the revenue, the Chamber did not consider the time opportune to move in the direction suggested. The question of the “ tax on consignments” came up for a lengthy discussion, members being all of opinion that the tax was wrong in principle and could, and would, be easily evaded; the consignor having it in his power to invoice at such prices that sales on commission would always show a loss, in which case no tax on profits could be imposed ; while the profits were already taxed in the income of the agent. A long circular from the Commissioner of Taxes, defending the impost, was read and discussed, but did not change the opinion of members. The Chamber resolved that it should support the view expressed by the Canterbury Chamber : viz., the reduction of the tax 'to 5 per cent, on profits, with 10 per cent, off for cases, etc. ; or the continuance of the present system : viz., estimating profits at 7| per cent, on net proceeds as an average rate, with a reduction where less profits, or losses, may have resulted.

The Chamber next took up the question of railway charges on frozen meat. The correspondence, recently printed, between the manager of the Southland Frozen Meat Company and the Minister of Railways was discussed and the startling discrepancies therein revealed, both by comparison of different localities within the colony, and with other colonies, were discussed. All the members took part in this, each referring to some special feature of inequality prevailing, owing to the granting of special concessions in different places, notably between .Oamaru and Port Chalmers, Picton and Blenheim, and Woodville and Napier, while the very highest rates were imposed on the long distance dead meat trade in Southland. None of the members suggested that special advantages should be afforded the Southland Company, even although the Railway Department had the increased revenue from them obtainable through their having tc send a considerable portion of their output twice over the same rails, but all maintained that the trade should be put on the same footing with reference to railway charges all over the colony. The Chamber consolidated its opinion in the following motion, which was unanimously carried :—“ That the attention of the Railway Department be drawn to the fact that the rates of carriage for dead meat charged in the colony are excessive, as compared with those of the other colonies, and that, considering the importance of the frozen meat trade, every effort should be made by the Department to reduce the rate on dead meat, as well as on live stock (which has already been dealt with) to the lowest possible point consistent with the obtaining of a reasonable return ; that the Chamber has also had its attention drawn to the fact that the rate charged to the Southland Frozen Meat Company is in excess of rates charged in other parts of tho colony ; and it would recommend that this company be placed on a similar footing to those in other parts of the colony.” The rest of the correspondence dealt with was not of public importance.