Chamber of .Commerce

Southland Times, Issue 19232, 19 December 1903, Page 4

Chamber of .Commerce

The annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday afternoon, there being present .Messrs I. W. Raymond (chairman), J. E. Watson, J. Callender, W. D. Hunt, J. Turnbull, J. H. Kirk, J. Crosby Smith and G. W. Nichol. CORRESPONDENCE. ThQ SuperiatcaUont, of the Government Advauces to Mettlers Oflico, in re-ply to ft letter from tho Chamber, wrote that in consequence of so many discharged mortgages being left on tho Department's hands after release had been asked for and executed, ho was obliged to resort to the present practice, which had worked well for several years, lie was unable to see his way to make any alteration. The Chamber had written a letter pointing out that all other mortgagees in the colony aro prepared to hana over their discharges as aoon aa the money i 9 tendered. If the Department receives money in lnvercargill from the mortgagor it must be remitted to Wellington, where the discharge has to be approved, and then returned to invercargili. Tho delay caused varies from two to three weeks. — Several members protested against the Department adhering to the antiquated system. — Air Hunt aaid that the G-qvenuaent insurance ollice had dropped it, and there was no reason why the Government Advances omco should not do so.— lt was decided, on the motion of Messrs Hunt and Watson, to forward copies of the correspondence to other Chambers, and to protest against the superintendent's decision. The Minister of Uailxvays notified that a new bylaw would come into force on Ist February, 11)05, to the effect that bags of grain woighing over 2001 b would pot be carried ; any over that weight would be charged four times the usual freight.— There was some discussion as to whether this would affect the use of the 44in. bag, and a committee will bo appointed to make a test. As no definite reply h.ad been received to tho Chamber's letter to the Minister re the installation of a new telephone bureau system, .Messrs Smith, Watson, and Gallender were appointed a deputation to wait oh tho Postmaster-General when he comes south. ANNUAL. REPORT.' In presenting the 35th annual report, your committee refer, with much pleasure, to tho continued commercial progress of tho district and of the colony US a whole. Tho advance cannot be regurded us spasmodic or as the result oi any special business that has sprung up, and may be expected to recede to a normal state ; but the returns, just publisued in tho Oiiicial Year Book, supply interesting information evidencing the ' growtn of tho colony. For, while the population, exclusive of Maoris, has only risen from Gb6,128 in XS'JH to 787, 657 in IW2, a diilorenco of 101,5yy, or about 14$ per cent., the exports have advanced from about 8i to 13£ millions, or 02 per cent. In examining the details with the view of ascertaining the in* crease in special articles of production for the years, say, 18i»5 to 19U2,-it will bo found that whilo the value of wool exported (.about 3J millions -sterling) has fauen about juiuu.ooo, tho quantity produced has increased from 12y million lt> in 18Vd to 155 million in 11)02, an advance of 26 million It. The total oi other produce exported has risen fraai 5 millions to over 10 millions. Special increase is shown in some articles ol proauction. Max has increased during the period from 1800 tons to 20.85U tons ; graiu lrorn is£ miliioiiH to nearly (i million busneis ; silver from 85,uuu ounceß to O/*,WO ounces; hides Irom Ic.oou to io.uuu ; frozen meat from 127 millions to iiiU million Ib ; butter has Sti'&uuy risen from ao,OUO to 254,00010 ; potatoes from 4000 to over 17,000 tons. The total imports have increased i'roiu about o inuuious to nearly 11 millions sterling, or 5C per cent. ; those from the United .hangdoni from 4 millions to nearly 7 millions or 5» per cent ; from the Australian colonies and other British possessions, Irom ,a;i,:2uo,<JOO to *,j.,ouuu,uuo, or 27 per cut. . and, Jiom foreign countries, from £000, uuo to j^x,v.uo,ooo, or 818 per cent. Another indication of progress is the fact that in the "year 1888 tnere were in New Zealand about 74 million acres under cultivation ; this increased to over 10 millions in 181*5, and to nearly 134 raillions in IV*OB. A local view of matters reveals tho same advancement. Our farmers are prosperous, and the values of town and rural properties have much enhanced during the last seven years ; even since the last annual report there is every indication pi' a forward movoineut, colonially and locally. Although it nos not been an eventful year for tho Chamber, good work has been done. DECIMAL SYSTEM OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. Thi3 matter has received attention, and- the- 0110.111 ijcr lias uecomo a inembei of the Decimal Association, .London, Circulars ore received irom time to time snowing that tne sjsteui is increusuig iv favour. it is anticipated that it win not be long oeioie 11 is inaugurated. The bubject it iurtiuuy being tuuglit iv ttio riChuuio ol Aev, V.'EiGfl'l uJ- OiiUivS OF GRAIN. Thiii ouojixi. tias, Oil several occasions, ..icli tl.i m t Lll. uilalUUCi, >\iliCU fc.US U I uu ■ tLu^a ia>i/»icU ieuuclion in \.eigiu, fcc>fcCia»i> 01 c^ujoj 01 wneat. a regulation nua uccu isoucu uy i.ue lion, mo — uusier 01 x\<xj.Lwajo, liummg tne ueigm vi aactva oi gruin curried o»er. in.Zi. railway lines to HuOib, lor sucks over tins weight peual rates will be charged. JLIFE-Sa V IN G AI'I'AUAT L .S. In supporting the action oi another cnamUer tnis chamber hub favoured tne establishment of a rule that all vtsacisj . leaving port should have a eeitiikuto 01 clearance to tho ellect Uiat Louts an. properly provisioned and all life-saving apparatus is in order. TELEU HAITI AJND TELEPHONE SEKVICES. Deputations have waited on tho lion Sir J. G. Ward, l'ostinuster-Generul, aim u.j,iiiu urgeU a. reiluction 01 U-leuhont 1 charges, and also that the privilege 01 cnesui tares issued to town residents visiting the country should also De extended to the country residents wishing to visit the towns, 'a' ho' ALiiuster iv reply stated that the matters are under consideration of the Uoveniment, unu wucn piaus are matured, extensive cliunges to tne advantage ol those using the telegraph and telepnono services, will be inaao. PREFERENTIAL TRADE WITHIN THE EMPIRE. This subject has received a good share oi attention ana, wimc tnere is a cHucreilCU Ol JUUgment, tlio buiii of the Uuaruotr lavouia a preiereiuiai übcai tarui. ' rLUJtrL b4JilU*Jlv jfKl/jiiiti. The«Cnami>er nas again given X.2 2s to tue ouutmunu Hoys' liigii cicnool for two prizes ol &X As each, with the vie« of encouiuging commercial suwjecte. •PRESIDENT fci ADDRESS. In uioViog -Wie adoption oi the report AIT xva^iuoua iciciieu wiifi regret to the Suiuii interest tuKeu in too uicuiuigs 01 the CnambCr. jxc 'strongly advocated a cfcoago in its constitution, sugKesting thai, hi rt'gihittuon, un exporters ami importtfiß o£ a certain • amount snould bu cu,(Ou£ti&i to contribute sometniug towara% the meaiber»J>ip of tue re-orjru.ll--iSeA in&fcilufcoA, wtticn wouiu penorui tnti 4yue6 A a fcoaid* of trudc or unuiuoer &( Co&tA&CQ Her me district. At pre%€Ak bufcints^ mcii would not wastu taen r^fOe CCMtOg -^o oreefcn&s wuich so few a4Uo4«f, bui <v-" sutisiied thai it it ¥j«fe *l»t\w» a (iiflerencc would 00 seen. fhu Cbafflbv was reaJJy at present 01 110 procucfaf utiwtd' ; 11 was a strain on one s kU3t>, ttuu ue was convmced tnut 11 it was to cvutuiuo a.ll alteration was very uecedt<tt«y. i^eiurring to the progress oi tne colony, no said that he was preparc-a to uuiu.ll, wita many others, mat tne cuiouy nad been enjoying, with tne rest oi*tno worlu, a cycle 01 prosperity, lnc Ciouttt Airicun und Phiiippino wars, anu tne scarcity of loodstuiis on the otner siue had materially assisted ftew Zealand in proviuiug good tnarlieta lor products. The fcriuers had beeu ■ very lortuuuie, and the nioney brought into the country by tneni must havo a beneficial ehect on trado generally. But was the prosperity genuine V During the last few years AilG.Oou.uuu had been borrowed by tne colony ; tho public debt was £53,5b5,000 ; loans to local bodies, owing outside the colony, wore £5,600,---0 and the private indebtedness was estimated at about £30, ( J00,000. Looking at tne small population, they could not say that the position was too bright and in his opinion, it was t.-me to put their house in order, in preparation for the period of depression »hi.h must come. After referring to tho import and export figures, he advanced u» a preventive for this probable depression oi> increase of population— he auliovud Uif t the colony was starving for \ jpuia.ion. Canada wa>» advertised in a iii-mt busli ct*sliice way *t Home, with las resuJt tlat it was now a well-populated ura Vicnderiuliy prosperous country. the birth rate in Now Zealund was decreasing, and IJtoiJie were rtiu&ing to iuid-i.*o u;e ttt'ir iLßjJOJiaiomLivs in niu.l. cCrection. t cinet..iii,4 uouia iiu.\u to bo done to populate ftcw iea,aiiu to a greatw extent than at i-rt-soat. ue reitrred to the progress of preiereutitU truut, noting witu appreciation the grott.iijj sentiment in its favour both at Home and in the colonies. In discussing the distribution oi foodstuffs at Home, he declared that the time must come when there must be a concentration 61 products for export at some ports, to save extra expenses incurred by doing the work piecemeal. Already combinations wero being formed . with this end. in view, and he was satislied that tho next five or six years would see a big advance. In regard to 1 the labour question, ho was hi favour of unionism, hut tho question was now : Is it wise for unionists to become more aggressive than in previous years ? In his opinion it was not, as on account of the demands of -the workmen raw material had to be sent out of the colony for manufacture, to tho loss both of capital find labour. Labour can only participate in the eucccss of tho community by ceasing to be too aggressive, and by endeavouring ;in every legitimate way to encourage the circulation of capital throughout ' the community. Referring to tho •metric. .system of weights and measurea. he deprecated the adoption ol" a «chemo for tho British ISmpire alouo. The question' should bo taken up by all parliaments, 'and a common nomenclature should be adopted for tho whole world. The initial difficulties wore the greatest, but they should at once be encountered, as they would increase every year. Tho question of r.e-affqreetation was also touched on, and he advocated coaunual-

cation with the Minister with a vloxv of preserving colonial forests. Ho spoke approvingly of the progress of Southland, supporting organisation by commercial men and the securing of direct quotations of markets. Bluff Harbour would, when the dredge ordered arrived and got to work, he second to none. He would ' never support wharf extension, believing that the present accommodation was sufficient if properly treated. In conclud- ' ing Mr Raymond suggested that the dehato bo adjourned till next Monday, bo that members would havo time to study the various questions. This was agreed to and tho meeting adjourned.