CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Southland Times, Issue 19458, 23 January 1925, Page 8

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday afternoon, there being present:—Messrs A. le H. Hoyles (chairman), J. Stevenson, J. T. Carswell, J. H. Reed, A. H. Mackrell, Spencer, J. McCrostie, W. A. Gow, D. Rutledge, R. M. Strang and T. W. Vickery. CORNSACKS FROM INDIA. The secretaries of the Invercargill Stock and Woolbrokers’ Association and Invercargill Grain Merchants’ Association wrote, in reply to the Chamber’s communication relative to the considerable shortage of cargo from Calcutta to Bluff by the Sussex., The letters stated that this was undoubtedly regrettable, but it was caused by factors which no one could foresee. For the 1924 harvest, merchants generally imported very much more cornsacks than were required, and quite a number even of their biggest sellers carried over such a quantity that they imported none whatever this year. Another factor, too, was that prices in Calcutta rose so considerably above normal that it was deemed wiser to buy conservatively. It was also known that two houses refrained from buying for direct shipment by this vessel,, as they considered from past experience that prices would drop after the departure of the vessel, when they would be able to buy at a cheaper rate via Australia for transhipment, and a fair quantity reached Bluff in that way. TOURIST FACILITIES. A letter was received from the secretary of the New Zealand Tourist League with reference to improved facilities and publicity. Mr Strang remarked that the Southland League had the matter in hand. PUBLICITY FOR SOUTHLAND. Mr E. A. Bennetts, publicity placed before the meeting the aims and objects of the publication “New Zealand Today,” which is being issued in June next, in connection with the opening of the New Zealand and South Seas International Exhibition at Dunedin. Mr Bennetts said that he aimed to make a special feature of Southland, and to this end he was getting into touch with other local bodies, including the Southland League, Invercargill Town Council and Bluff Harbour Board. Mr Strang suggested that Mr Bennetts endeavour to get the Southland League to undertake the compilation of the Southland section. The League was really the parent body. Mr Bennetts said he would be addressing the League that evening on the subject of the Southland section. He was, however, undertaking all the work personally, as he could not afford to risk the loss of any time. The Chairman assured Mr Bennetts that the Chamber would give all the assistance possible to have Southland advertised as widely as possible, and, with this assurance, Mr Bennetts thanked the meeting and departed.