CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6706, 20 November 1889, Page 3

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

<. Quarterly Meeting. The quarterly meeting of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce was-held this affcernoouj The-following is the COMMITTEE'S REPORT. During the past quarter your Committee have held five meetings (three ordinary and two special), at which the following matters of interest to the Chamber have been dealt with : — MEETING OF ©ELEGATES. In September lasb your Committee received a communication from the Dunedin Chamber, inviting them to appoint delegates to attend an intercolonial conference that ifc was proposed to hold in that, city about the month of January, and at which several of the Australasian Colonies would be represented, the object being to discuss matters of coininfircial interest affecting the various Colonies, more particularly the great question, of Intercolonial Freetrade. Your Committee readily consented to the request, and at the same time suggested that the occasion was an extremely favourable one for also holding a conference of representatives from the various New Zealand Cbamber3 to consider and discuss matters that more directly, affect the interests of our osvn Colony, particularly that of immigration. The cuggestion was adopted by the Dunedin Chamber, and you are today asked to confirm the appointment of four gentlemen to act on the occasion referred to, and your Committee suggest the names of Messrs Meares, Stead, Martin, and Humphreys, it being considered ad- ! visable to elect four ia case gome may be unable to attend. OFFICIAL ASSIGNEEBHIP. The position of Official Assignee in Bankruptcy having been vacated by Mr E. C. Latter, who has for a number of years so ably performed the duties, your Committee at once put themselves in communication with the Government, and a3ked to be consulted in regard to the new appointment, as it was one of such vast importance to the commercial community of Canterbury. The assistance of your Committee was most courteously invited by the Government, but they were at the same time reminded that the appointment could only be subject to the provisions of "The Civil Service Reform Act, 1886," which really confines the appointment to the ranks of the Civil Service, as although sundry exceptions are provided for, it is queatioaable whether any cover the office of an Official; Assignee — unless the legal knowledge required would bring it within the exemptions of " persons skilled in law," which your Committee think can bo reasonably contended, and are urging this view on the Government. The administration of bankrupt estates by the Government being a comparatively new department, your .Committee feel that a great mistake was made in not providing a direct exception in the Act to meet cases like the present, and hope Borne action in this direction will bo taken during next session, unless the Government agree that it ia met by the exception already referred to. NOMINATED IMHISEATION. It having come under the notice of your Committee that the Government were reported to bo declining further assistance in the case of nominated emigrants, a resolution waa passed and forwarded urging that all possible assistance should be rendered in such cases, in view of the known scarcity of labour prevailing in many parts of the North Island and other centres, principally owing to the great development of the flax industry throughout the Colony. The resolution was duly acknowledged, and in reply it wa9 stated that all eligible nominations in the case of separated families and near relations dependent on friends in the Colony for assistance, were being accepted. This reply was bo far satisfactory, but your Committee think that the question should now be more vigorously dealt with, as the Colony offers Buuh an undoubted field for increased population. CABLE COMMUNICATION WITH AUSTRALIA. The question of a second cable to Australia has recently been brought prominently under public notice, offers having been made to the Government by the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company. Your Committee, wrote urging the former not to grant the right of laying a second cable unless a substantial reduction in the present scale of rates was providedfor,and, if possible, 0 monopoly avoided ; your Committee feeling assured that a reduced charge in the Australian and New Zealand cable rates would tend to a further development of trade between the Colonies without seriously affecting the annual receipts of, the cable proprietors, as the extra number of messages sent would fully compensate for the reduction in charge. Your Committee, being of opinion that efforts should be made to make the Chamber more popular, and at the same time utilise its spacious room for practical and legitimate purposes of commerce, such »b the holding of important auction sales, decided to grant applications of this kind — at their discretion — for a moderate fee, and the system waa inaugurated on Nov. 4, when the Midland Eailway Company held their opening land sale, which resulted in a most complete success. Since then arrangements have also been made with the Wool-brokers' Association to hold the local sales in the Chamber during the present season, and your Committee have every reason to believe that the movement will tend to promote the objects aimed at. PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. In moving the adoption of the report, the President said : — Referring generally to the state of trade and events of interest to the commercial community, I regret to say that, as regards the former, the stagnation frequently prevailing during the quarter under notice has still been painfully apparent. There is reason to believe, however, that this period of dulness was brought to a conclusion with our carnival week, which, assisted by the presence of His Excellency the Governor, wa3 perhaps one of the most brilliant and successful that thiß Province has enjoyed for many years. Shearing operations are now in full sway, and our fiockowners, large and Bmall, having experienced one of the finest winters known in the Province for years, open their season with prospects that are decidedly rosy. The lambing is proving almost phenomenal in its prolific results. Wool is commanding excellent value, and the combined eales, opening in this room on Friday next, will probably produce the keenest competition ever witnessed at our local wool auctiona. In addition to this, the frozen meat and tallow markets, although not so buoyant aa that of wool, remain fairly steady at rates that are remunerative to producers. When it is remembered that our Province alone owns over four millions and a half o£ cheep, we may reasonably look &>« generalimprovement to result fromthe fillip this backbone of all our productive power is now experiencing; and I trust that it will in a great measure counteract the-unsatis-factory condition of our grain market, which has been mainly brought about by JjPg^PJodicionß eyatem of fcriWiag for

cereals is so prone to follow. Amongst the ' events of the quarter probably the most ; important to the Colony at large was that ; of the conversion of one of our State loans ; to 3Jr per cent stock, as, although the price obtained was not so satisfactory as many < anticipated, the operation resulted in a net j saving of over £34,000 per annum to the Colony, and has established the fact that ! New Zealand has so far regained confidence in the " world's money market" that she j can there obtain her reasonable require- ■ ments on what may be called "favoured terms." Next week will witness another event that taken place in our sister city Dunedin that has also become one of importance to the whole of New Zealand, and attracted the earnest attentions of oar Australian neighbours. I refer to theopening of the New Zealand and South - Sess Exhibition. Thisundertaking.owing to the indefatigable exertions of its President, Mr John Roberts, backed by hiß E xecutive Commissioners in varioußcentres,. promises to result in one of the most brilliant; spectacles our Colony has ever witnessed. I feel sure that I express the feeling of all members of this body in hoping that the efforts of the promoters will be crowned with the success wo confidently anticipate, and- which their labours bo richly deserve.