OUR COMMERCE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13635, 19 February 1908, Page 5

OUR COMMERCE.

WH>AT THE COiJNTR^ PROnjJCES. the farmer an© the tariff. ! a Chamber of jCqmmerce •• MEETING. -• > • Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, February-18. ./ Thjfe annual meeting of Mihe Wejlington. ©hitmber .oif. Co^interce twas held to- - day. 'The chairman (Mr J. G. Hai^kness), in a lengthy, address, referred -wr isk» t gratifying increase, in the. Domin-f don's trade, the volume *»o w i9'g>a n v>n'-' creaise for the year of ov«r,£^,soo,eOOi H^ urged the necessijiy joj more care? ftti'preparation and supewrisibn i!h- the* maintenance of the quality of prodttce^ exported. One prominent feature* in { connection with the export tf adb **ras that wool, frozen meat, dairy produce*, tallow, aaid hemp showed .stibstanbial increases i^ quantity. He regrettßd^ that grain had almost vanished as^Jtn 1 item in the, export -returns. The dairying, .industry showed steady develop--ment and prices in London were'abnor.-^ mally liigh, but unfortunately, the drought liad considerably shortened supplies. : The population of the Dominion was riot increasing as it should, and judicious immigration wast desirable. ' ' ' . ' In regard tfi the new Customs tariff, Mr Harkhess remarked: 4l Wb,ett l jqu carefnHy, investigate the) xeturns axtd • find that out ,oi u^totid export valued at £19,687,573 r over. £19,250,000 is supzplied by primary producers who also supplied cqnsumers in tHe Dominion with produce ,to the value of £14,000,000, making a grand total of, £33,250,00Q wrung from the soil, one majr be pardoned if he, hesitates and submits to himself for solution the problem: ».hy should the many be penalised for the benefit of the few P". 1 - l '" • . Mr G.. Shirteliffe/in speaking to the motion ior the adoption of the report, said 'that the Dominion appeared to be living pretty well up to its. income in respect of those increased prices. Mr, ,D. , J. Nathan -said, the country was calling out for population.? The 1 deb,t of the Dominion waa increasing at a, greater, ratio than the population, and a strong immigration po^cy was required- The Government woujd be. well advised to raise its loans outside' the Dominion, l and leave the money in the country^fbr the develb^ment or the country.