CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16831, 6 September 1922, Page 9

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

ANNUAL MEETING, The sixty-third annual meeting of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce was held last night. Mr S. A. Orchard (president) was in the chair, and there i was a large attendance of members. The meeting, as usual, was preceded bv a dinner, at which toasts were honoured. AXX UA L REPORT. The annual report s tated that the council hud appointed Mr J. A. Frostick an honorary member in appreciation ot his work for the chamber. The j chamber had suffered loss bv the death ! j of Mr T. C. Field, who was connected j with philanthropic organisations. Jhe balanco-fiheel to July 111. 11)22. showed a balance of receipts over expenditure of £256 11s 9d. and the exce.-s of assets over liabilities was set down at £BSO 10s lid. PR ESIDENT'S A DDR ESS. The chairman in moving the adop- j tion oi the report and balance-sheet, I urged an expansion of tho Dominion’s j export trade, particularly in the Era- j pire. There should be federation of local bodies in Canterbury. He was sure that the chamber would give the Progress League every support in its railway policy. As the Otira tunnel was nearing completion, members of the chamber should co operate with West Coast importers and have all goods for the West Coast shipped via Lyttelton and the Otira Tunnel. Australia was reaping a rich harvest from trade with the East. New Zealand could obtain much oi it with Government support and shipping facilities. More enterprise on the part of New Zealand manufacturers and merchants would substantially increase trade vita the Pacific Islands. Dealing with intercolonial and coastal shipping, he said that shipping facilities in the South Island were worse now than they wore twenty years ago. Next season’s wool prospects seemed to bo particularly bright lor tine three-quarter-bred oral merino. It needed only a fair rise in the value of wool and pelts, now at rock bottom, to reach again tho boom values that lamb reached in the war period. As to mutton, the prospects for the coming season did not encourage any optimistic feeling in respect to better value#; with the exception of prime light mutton, for which it won hoped there would be a fair demand. The oat market this season had been unprofitable to farmers; with the rapid growth of motors and haulers, it looked a* f lower prices would rule. Potatoes had been on a better payable hasi& than for some year-. Seeds had been at good payable price.- for growers. Wheat prospects were brighter, tho dutv of Is 2jd ]>er bushel now imposed affording an , improved outlook : the estimated yield for the season predicted a slight decrease and prices to tho grower seemed assured. Ho believed that if the penny postage principle was reinstated, the Department still would have a surplus. The chairman concluded :—‘‘ During the past twelve months the indebtedness to the banks has been greatly reduced. They have »t times been harsh and peremptory, hut tkev have nursed industry through its greatest strain. Fortunately, they have been imbued with confidence of better times coming, and. consequent ly the list of failures is not as bad as it might have been. ! would like to extend to them the appreciation of the business world for their great forbearance and assistance/’ Mr E. H. IVvies seconded the motion for the adoption of tho report and bal-ance-sheet, which was carried. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The following officers were elected:— President, Mr E. M. Myles-, vice-pre-sident. Mr S. Paterson : council. Messrs (’. P. Agar, YV. Bottrell. A. 1. Cropp, P. Davidson. 11. J. Elliott. P. H. Harris. J. G. Herd man. 11. Holland. A W. Jamieson, F. E. Jones. H. J. Marriner. S. A. Orchard. \\ . H. Price, W. M. Shand. H. H. Smith. IV. F. Soper, W. Stringleman. IV. M. I vors and ('. •J. R. Williams; sectional committees. 1922 23—Importers’, Messrs A. F. Drayton. J. T. Royds. P. Davidson. F. E. Jones and S. Paterson (convener) : Exporters’. Messrs (’. P. Agar. W. M. Shand. A. W. Jamieson. T. E. Gibson and J. G. Hcrdiuan (convener) ; Manufacturers’. Messrs A. L. Oropp. W. F. Soper. A. IN’. Heaven, J. R. Hayward and J. A. Frostick (convener): Produce. Messrs T. F. Gibson, O. IT. Hewlett. H. J. Bowlker. H. Wood and W. M. Shand (convene r) : Transport. MessrH. H. Smith. C. R. Tieadel. .1. G. Herdman. Gyrus J. R. Williams and 11. J. Marriner (convener); auditors. Messrs F. H. Labatt and J. W. K. Law'rence. THE TOASTS. Mr J. J. Dougall proposed ‘“The Empire.” He said that the Empire iiad greater prospects now than were dreamed of before the war. The Washington Conference resulted in Britain and the United States combined obtaining sea dominance over other nations together,- and sen power would dominate t lie whole world a« long as the principa I transport of the world was over the sea. Mr F. 1\ . Hobbs, who responded, saitl that* there* fihould he a stronger bond of brotherhood in the Empire, and that it should find expression in tariff arrangements between the countries of the Empire. Mr J. A. Frostick said that tho first duty of New Zealanders was to their own country, and their second duty was to the Mother Country. The raw materials of New Zealand should be used os far as possible by herself, and New Zealand should be made a sure refuge for people from the Mother Country. Mr E. Tl. Wvles proposed “The Agricultural. Pastoral. Industrial and Commercial Interests.” He said* that taxation was preventing the development of all interests in the Dominion. Satisfactory prices wore no reason for undue taxation. It was an unsound economic principle. Unless relief was given, there was no possibility of tho prosperity the country deserved. The primary producers should be helped in every possible way. Local industries should he fostered and developed. There should be a proper system of immigration to encourage people who would help to develop this country’s reI sources, and encouragement should be given to the investment of British capi--1 tal here. The Government should ecoomise, and should relieve trade and industry. Mr T. G. Russell, responding, said that at present England was New* Zealand’s great purchaser of primary, products, and if England's purchasing power was diminished it would directly affect this. Dominion As long as Germany and the jest of Europe were poverty-stricken, he could not see that England could do anything but feel and feel badly, the effect of the position. Trade solely within the Empire, to the exclusion of all other countries, must receive very grave consideration before the principle was applied. The idea that Labour ffnallv would get everything into its own bands, control everything. displace the merchants and the manufacturers and take possession of nil plant, seemed to him to be a dream. Labour never could go on the ) basis of half j. day’s work for a full day’s pay. Mr L. A. Rutherford, who nlso re-

sponded. Apid that men trained in business should wake op and take a hand in straightening out the rotten mismanagement so apparent in all directions. It was only by greater produc tion that progress could be made, but the object could not be attained, because of the load of taxation. Pressure on the land should be relieved, and people on the land looked to business, men for support in their efforts. “ Retiring and Incoming Officers,” was proposed by Mr R. O. Bishop, who said that the chamber should have l>etter accommodation, an up-to-date library and an all time secretary. The chamber was half a century behind the times in that respect. Messrs Orchard and "Wyles responded. NEW MEMBERS. The following new members weri elected : Messrs Harding. Adams and Co.. .T. H. Rhodes. Macfarlane and Company Hamilton and Hamilton, and F W. Johnston. MISCELL A N EO US. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr H A. Adley, secretary, on the motioi of Aft- Wyles