BUSINESS AFFAIRS

Southland Times, Issue 25311, 14 June 1935, Page 3

BUSINESS AFFAIRS

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THE BLUFF-MELBOURNE SERVICE The council of the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce met yesterday, Mr C. B. Tapley (president), presiding over the following members: Messrs W. A< Ott, N. R. Mclsaac, A. le H. Hoyles, L. W. Spencer, J. S. Brass, J. A. Lindsay, A. McKenzie, J. L. Mair, C. S. Stevens, J. Douglas, H. Aitken, J. H. Reed, A. M. Macdonald, J. Stevenson and C. J. Bradfield. Also present was a party of Southland Technical College students accompanied by the principal, Mr C. A. Stewart. They were welcomed by the chairman. A letter was received from Mr T. Macpherson, the chamber’s representative in London, advising that Mr and Mrs A. Derbie, of Invercargill, had reached London on the eve of the Jubilee celebrations and arrangements were made for them to obtain good seats and get a good view of all the proceedings. It was the writer’s intention to invite a number of gentlemen to be his guests at the banquet to the overseas premiers on May 17, including Mr Derbie, Mr P. Brass and Mr G. Tapper.

•The chairman expressed appreciation of the attention of Mr Macpherson to the Invercargill visitors. The secretary of the Associated Chambers wrote regarding telegraph charges as follows: “At the latest meeting of the executive, • comment was made on the public statement in Dunedin on May 30 by the PostermasterGeneral (the Hon. Adam Hamilton! that chambers of commerce throughout New Zealand had been written to within the past few weeks for their opinion (on the present scale of telegraph charges), but, strangely enough, not one reply had been received. It was considered therefore that the amended scale was giving satisfaction. As this office has not received any such inquiry from the Minister, the executive would be pleased to know if chambers are in any different position, or if inquiry has been made of your chamber, the nature of your reply.” It was decided to reply that no inquiry had been made and that the Invercargill Chamber was still of the opinion that a flat rate, as before, should be charged. Members were anything but satisfied with the new rates. Correspondence relating to the BluffMelbourne shipping service was read as follows:— On June 5 the chamber wrote to the local manager of the Union Steam Ship Company: “I have been directed by the chamber to write and express appreciation of the council members to the management of your company of the promised reinstatement of the Mel-bourne-South Island service next November. During the’ discussion on the matter, it was pointed out that the Melbourne Cup was run on the first Tuesday in November and that it seemed a reasonable suggestion that the reinstatement of the service should synchronzie with that event. The opinion is held here that if the Marama were sailing from South Island ports in time to reach Melbourne for that event she would be well patronized. I was instructed to bring the matter under your notice with the hope that arrangements could be made for an earlier. start that has already been announced. Will you kindly place it before your management as early as possible?” From the Union Steam Ship Company, Invercargill: “In regard to the itinerary of the Marama on the Mel-bourne-South Island-Wellington service next summer, we have to advise you that we are in receipt of a reply from our head office to the effect that it is regretted that it would not be practicable to arrange for the vessel to commence her proposed itinerary in this run earlier than the date arranged, for the reason that the vessel will be employed for a period on the Sydney-Auckland-Wellington service from which she does not withdraw until arrival at Sydney on November 4 when she proceeds through to Melbourne to arrive there on November 6, leaving the following day for Bluff.” Mr J. M. Fisher, Tasmanian publicity officer, wrote from Dunedin advising having made, on behalf of Tasmania, a formal application to the Union Company for the inclusion of Hobart as a port of call en route, and the co-opera-tion of the Invercargill Chamber was looked for in such an important matter.

Members expressed pleasure that the service was to be resumed. Mr Reed said they had reason to be pleased. The Marama was a better ship than the Maheno. The chairman: I think we can congratulate ourselves. The Associated Chambers advised having discussed correspondence with the Acting-Minister of Finance on the subject of desired legislation for the abolition of saints’ days from the list of bank holidays, and it was decided to press for legislation at the forthcoming session of Parliament.