DUNEDIN CHAMBER OF COMMERGE.

Timaru Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 5195, 16 July 1891, Page 3

DUNEDIN CHAMBER OF COMMERGE.

(By Telegeaph.) DUNBDIN, July 15. Mr Ritebio'a addroeo at tho annual msaiiug of tho Chamber of Oommorco eaya thnt there ia no ground for the fear expressed m certain quarters at Dunodin not holding her own. For tho five yeara ended 1890 the imports to this port' varied bctwoon 1,660,6 ft and 1,602,629. I/dst your thero wna paid m duty £101.924 Bgainßt £387,514 m 1889 and £376,331 m 1888. Our exports varied equally little, but 11s tho colony's exports expanded so per cant during tho lust two youra, Dunedin had failed to keep bold of hor Hliare. Still industries woro growing. Wool and ment shinmontaihad been fnirly maiutuinod, and tho local wool saloa woro considorably Inrgor than any othor m the oulony. Tho truth is that m tbo good times we shot a bigger bolt tbaD most other places, and so foel moro keenly as if we wero standing atill. Wo have all suffered severely by the strike, to what oxlcnt but few know. On this eubjoct tho chair- 1 man said, " that not only did that unfortunate I and daplorablo mistake cost hugo sums of money but had dried up nprings of enterprise over since, and the foar of it is still causing people to button up their pockotsnnd abstain from taking part m what, ought to bo tho natural development of the place. Capital and labour both alike jufforoci ooriously to j suuh »n extent ub will, I hopo, induce both pid!B to resolve that thn catastrophe shall never bn repoafcod. It jo difficult to aeo how this c.in bo accomplished by loninlation. I have no fault to find with the bills- to jroguloto factory work, and protect Iho health of women and children ; but to place m tho hands of a minister thoadjustment of nil disputes between wage-earners and wftjjo-payorß will bo a fatal mistake. /(. will soon have tha effect of olto gathnr drying np wages cither for paying or recoiling. I have gwit confidence m thn labour membera who burn oommon soiibo onough to diaoovor aa quickly as any of ue, whut is practicable »ud what not, ani) Ujoj also will bo careful to avoid such anljon us will otop onterprino. It it vory ncconi-ary ju»t now to co-upornto to ro-ostabli'.h conddonco >n the minds of tho wago-payor, and if this is doae it will gy far to improve what all com-

plain of m tho way of flatness aod dullness. Tho extension of the Otago Central will not cure our troubles and I deprecate the tendency to ngitate for money for this liuo. Wo have no right to ask for a ponny to be Bpent on umeproductivo works, though tho time may come when we can afford to do so. The general progress and prospect of the colony last joar affords room for congratulation. It is true the census was not so satisfactory as it ought to bo and chows a certainMeakage of population, but thiß only omphaßises the surprising progress of the oolony, although politicians say otherwise, and politicians will bs freely ncknowloiljnd to be right if they can turn tho stream of imputation m instead of out. My firm belief is we could expect nothing else following tho fhake produced by the stoppage of borrowing and public works; but what has the reduced population been doing? Judging by results it looks as if they had been well culled, and represented the maximum of Btrengih ond forco, whether of muscle or eupitnl. Without extraneous aid, for the imports remain stationary, we have reachod a total os port of £9,428,781, from £6,386,682 m 1886 ; we continue each year to maintain a large revenue for railways ; we have increased tho deposito m six banks by £1 663,877 during the three yearß ended 3Ut March last, and for the same period advances have decreased by £2,208,099. Settlement of tho land has been progressing all the time. We may have overy confluence that tho paying off of private debt is going 00, and m a larger porcantago each year than ill the ono preceding it. The state of public finance and tho genuine Burplus on this year's budget go to confirm a hopeful view expressive of the state of tho colony, aud the Bullanco Ministry deserve all credit for their resolution not to borrow for tho present^ Thov viill find if they adhere to this that tboy will establish a sound stato of finance andtbo solid proppority of the country, but I deprocute a change m the incidence of taxation as inopportune though tho timo may come not vory long wlieu tlio oolony can stand such changes without harm. At present vro run tho riak of undoing lho steps wo have gained m public credit, and tho confidence of tho past two yoar?, all lho wor3a because tbe aciual effect of tbo no>? proposals is vory uncertain."