Chamber of Commerce

Southland Times, Issue 15075, 22 October 1901, Page 2

Chamber of Commerce

A meeting, held yesterday afternoon, was attended by the President (Mr J. E. Watson), and Messrs J. Turnbnll, I. W. Raymond, R. Dunlop, R. Gilmour, G. W. Niohol, J. H. Kirk, P. Brodie, C. H. Roberts, R. Churton, David Strang, and John McQueen. The Secretary road the following telegram from the Premier :— " The tariff brought down by the Federal Government is one which must have an important bearing upon the producers and the export trade.of thia colony, and the matter is ot such importance to the colony as a whole that the Govern* ment are now considering what steps, if any, it is desirable to adopt in order to protect the trade of the colony which, aa a result of the high tariff imposed, particularly against N.Z., will to some extent be affected. I shall be glad if you will kindly favour the Government with an expression of your views upon the altered position and what affect you think the tariff will have upon the producers and export trade of the colony. I shall be glad if you will kindly favour me witH any suggestions or proposals you may have in connection therewith, before the matter i 3 finally dealt with by the [ Cabinet." ! Mr Raymond at once brought forward a comprehensive motion, which commenced with the expression that the Chamber viewed with unconcern the proposed duties on N.Z. produce.— Mr Watson moved an amendment, which traversed much the same ground as the motion, except that it said that the Chamber viewed the tariff with grave concern. Considerable discussion ensued, and the prevailing feeling was that the Chamber should express neither unconcern nor grave fears, and the majority also thought that the motion covered too much ground, and that one clause should be mads the subject of a separate motion. Mr Raymond adopted the suggestion and moved, "That this Chamber, having had the proposed Federal duties under consideration, strongly disapproves of any policy of reprisal, holding that such a course would not ouly be undignified, but also at variance with that spirit of fraternity that should truly exiafc between two impox-tftnt dependencies of the Empire j and that, with the object of opening up fresh markets, the Government be urged to take steps to foster a trade with Sooth Africii by erecting cool stores in that country and by subsidising a shipping company that will a regular line of steamers between the two colonies."—Carried unanimously.— Mr McQueen thought that the Government should negotiate with the Commonwealth Government with a view to Borne reciprocal arrangement being agreed upon. They might be encouraged to take some of our products free on condition that we did likewise., Mr Raymond then moved: ",That jhis Chamber views with alarm the serious

denudation of our valuable forests, and with the object of limiting the Output, strongly favours an export duty being placed on dresßed timber, and a substantial duty on undressed timber, tho revenue derived from this source to be applied towards afforeata* tion." — Mr Gilmour seconded the motion, but as the majority of those present were not quite prepared to vate on the question, the debate on the motion was adjourned till next meeting.— Mr Churton pointed out that the timber export was praotically all from tho North Island, and what would suit the millers ther« might not be advantageous to Southland. The proposed amendments to the Stamp Act were brought under consideration through a communication received from the Canterbury Chamber which, after considering the bill, finds that in one or two respects the provisions, if enforced, would inflict hardship upon traders. For instance, the provision that promissory notes shall be made on paper impressed with the penny stamp duty, instead of on an ordinary form with the adhesive scamp attached, is con- ? sidered by the ChristoWeh body to bear heavily upon merclianta and dealers, as it means that a large supply of stamped forms of different denominations will have to be kept in stock, the cash paid therefor lying idle. It frequently happens that when a bill for acceptance is forwarded with a client's account the client returns a cheque, in which case, if thu bill were made out on an embossed form, the duty would be lost Ito the trader. The clause imposing a duty on guarantees is also objected to, as its operation would prove unjust in many cases. Letters of credit given by a firm to its travellers, e.g. t wsuld have to bear a 10a stamp Letters to banks, guaranteeing small amounts on behalf of clients, are also frequently given, and in >nch cases the charge would be excessive.— The matter was \ left i a the hands of the chairman and socfe- : tary to take action in the direction of protesting against the alteration. Mr Raymond thon moved "that the practice followed \>y certain shipowners, in having tho grain bags "bled" so as to add to the carrying capacity of their vessels is viewed by this Chamuer as a reprehensible practice, and one that must seriously militate against a proportion of our products reaching the consumer in a marketable condition, thereby tending to prejudice oar produce, that the retention of tho Minister of Agriculture be called to tho practice and that a copy of the resolution be sent to the other Chambers in the colony." The mover said that the bags were bled and the grain poured into t,he openings and crevices in the hold among the stowed sacks, and whea the destination was reached all this was swept up and put into the original bags, which, looked perfectly clean and right.— Mr Dunlop seconded the motion and said the practice was carried on, not by the regular traders but by some of the tramps. — Carried. It was unanimously resolved to support a resolution carried at a publio meeting at Orcpuki, urging upon the Government the necessity of increasing the duty on the Orepuki Shale Company's products, at all events until the industry is fairly snd pay-, ably established. : ' Mr A. Tapper wrote on . the question of v discount on salna of grain- and stock, a matter arising out of the recent conference of delegates of the Farmers' Union at Milton, and the chairman was empowerd, after consultation with the committee, to take such steps aa might be deemed desirable in the matter, probably a meeting Between the farmers and the committee of the Chamber. The meeting then adjourned.