CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Southland Times, Issue 19279, 25 June 1924, Page 7

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

QUARTERLY LUNCHEON. The inclemency of the weather yesterday was doubtless mainly responsible for a smaller attendance than usual at the quarterly luncheon held under the auspices of the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce at the Federal Rooms. The President (Mr A. le H. Hoyles, occupied the chair, and in the course of his remarks referred to the work accomplished by the Chamber for the benefit of the commercial interests and the community at large. From time to time remarks had been made, continued the speaker, as to the necessity in a-town the size of Invercargill for the existence of a League, the Employers’ Association, and the Chamber of Commerce, it having been contended that the responsibility of the three organisations were of a similar nature and that there was not sufficient work for each. “I have personally given the matter a lot of thought,” said Mr Hoyles, “and I feel quite sure that it would be impossible to weld the three organisations into one and do the same amount of good work that is being done at the present tune. Each particular Association has a special province of its own, and neither of the other two for instance can render the service for which the Chamber was constituted. Since the annual meeting in February last we have been quietly at work. There is nothing spectacular about the Chamber and our sole endeavour is to do our best in the interests of all parties. Railways and shipping are our two big bones of contention and so far as the former is concerned during the past few months we have succeeded in obtaining some minor improvements. In regard to shipping it has been most difficult and it has been one of our objects to try and get more direct shipments to Bluff. In that connection during the twelve months ending on March 31 last 17,000 tons of cargo was landed at Bluff direct from the United Kingdom and this represents a saving to Southland of £30,000, which would have been spent otherwise in transhipping rates and additional wharf charges. That is one way in which the Chamber has helped not only the commercial community but the community as a whole. The Chamber has also invited the controlling officers of the local Government offices and the shipping companies to associate themselves with the work of the Chamber, and in that way it will help materially to bring about a better understanding between the different interests concerned.” A MODERN CITY. The Chairman then called upon Mr S. E. McDonald to give an address upon “Modem Birmingham,” which he had visited during the course of his recent trip abroad. Mr McDonald spoke interestingly of what he had observed during his short stay in Birmingham, which he described as one of the most important centres in the whole of the United Kingdom. He also gave some illuminating facts concerning its trade and commerce and the rapid growth it had achieved, largely as a result of the vast industries which had been created there. At the close of his interesting address Mr McDonald was accorded a hearty vote of thanks by those present on the motion of Mr W. A. Gow.