CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1498, 19 February 1861, Page 5

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

TriE usual monthly meeting of the members of the Chamber of Commerce was held ou Monday, the 1 lth instaul, last at Messrs. Bethune aud Hunter's Offices, Exchange Buildings. Present — G. Hunter, Esq., Chairman. Messrs. Murray, Levy, Crawford, Spinks, Ledger, Stokes, Taylor, Luxford, Bowler, Kebbell, Venuell, Turnbull, Moore, Captain Rhodes, and the Secretary.

The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, The Secretary read the following correspondence on the subject of BONDING CERTIFICATES. Sydney, I7th December, 1860. My Dea.ii Slh, — I have very much pleasure in answering tho questions you put to me on tho certificate or warrant system of our Bonding Warehouses, and I have categorically anaworod thoiiviis you will find. Our system is by no means perfect as tho wharohousokcopers do not require the endorsement of tho Merchant, whoreas in London, fcheso documents are as valuable as Bills of Exchange, and are specially endorsed, sometimes to as many aa 20 or 30 pcruc-iis, thro' whose hands they may pass. There also they are prepared by tho wharonousekecpers themselves and every warrant is entered in a ledger called a cargo ledger, and no one is allowed cither to sample or do anything with the goods unless they hold tho warrant. Our form of warrant is ono prepared by mo 20 years ago, and ia almost exactly like a London Dock-warrant, with tho exception that the goods are not staled tliorcon to be deliverable to the order of any particular person. I do not know that tiioro is any other information that would be useful to you, I enclose you two of our blank forms; *. Believe mo to bo, My Dear Sir, Your's vory truly, M. Metcalpe. W. M. Bannatync, Esq., Wellington. QUESTIONS. 1. Arc certificates (in tho nature of dock-war-rants) prepared for all goods placed in bond, and if so, by whom are they prepared ? 2. To whom are the certificates delivered ? 3. -Is any charge made for the certificates, and if so, what is its amount ? 4. Is one certificate prepared for the whole of a parcel of goods as entered for bond, or may the parcel be divided, and if so, in what way, and at whose discretion P 5. Are certificates given up, or simply produced when goods are taken out of bond, and to whom are they given up or produced ? 6. When entries are passed for smaller quantities than the certificate represents, what is then done with the certificate (i.e. is the quantity taken out endorsed on tho original certificate, or is it given up and a fresh ona issued for the balance remaining in bond) f 7. Are fresh certificates issued in the case of removal of goods from one warehouse to another, or is the fact of removal marked in any way upon the original certificate? 8. Does the Customs Department recognise the certificate as a part of its arrangements, and thus insist upon its being prepared and produced in the same manner us it insists upon Bills of Entry ? ANSWERS. 1. Certificates or Warrants are prepared for all goods placed in bond, by the agents for the importers, or by tho importers themselves and they are signed by the proprietor of the warehouse. 2. The certificates are delivered to the Importers. 3. When prepared by agents, a charge of 3<l. pec oevtiiioato is made for each cortifloato, 4. Vox Spiiite ov Wine to casks n warrant is

made for each cask separately ; if in cases, 5 are usia-.y put into a warrant.

5. The warrants must be given up to the owner of the warehouse when the goods represented thereon aye taken out of bond.

0. Ifonlypartof the goods aro taken out, either the quantity taken out must bo endorsed on the warraiit or a new warrant must be issued by the owner of the warehouse for the balance.

7. — The old warrants are given up and fresh ones issued by the owner of the new warehouse at the expense of the Merchant.

8. Warrants are not recognised at all by the Custom's Authorities (nor are they in London).

M. Metoalfe.

Mr. G. H. VENNEiiL suggested that the warehouse owners should issue Certificates which might be initialed by tho Custom-house Officer. Ho thought that for the protection of warehouse-keepers as well as the mercantile community generally, some better system should be adopted than the one at present in vogue ; and strongly condemned the practico of issuing duplicate certificates.

After a long desultory conversation, it was moved by Mr. G. H. Veunell and seconded by Mr. W. W. TaylorThat tho Corrospondenco read by tho Secretary on the subject of Bonded Stores Certificates, bo referred to tho.Sub-Commifctoo appointed on the 24th September, with directions to consider and report on the most desirable mode of protecting the interest of the mercantile community against irregularities which might aviso under the present arrangements between the importers of goods and tho proprietors of warehouses.

Carried unanimously.

DISTRICT COURT'S ACT.

Mr. Bowler said that he had been informed that the District Courts throughout the Colony were about to be abolished, and as he considered them not only a useful but also a cheap Court, he' mentioned the subject to the Chamber to see whether it would not be well for them to petition His Excellency the Governor notto abolish but to extend them. Asaproof of their usefulness he might mention that there were more actions brought in them than in the Supreme Court. If the District Courts were abolished, it would have the effect of compelling suitors to take proceedings either in the Resident Magistrates or the Supreme Court ; aud this, he thought, would give rise to much confusion, and put the public to considerable expense. He had never beard any complaints made against the District Court, and could see no reason why they should be abolished. He just mentioned the matter to see whether it was not a proper subject for the Chamber to interfere iv.

The Chairman fully concurred in the observations that had been made by Mr. Bowler. The only complaint he had to make respecting the District Court here was, that their Sittings were not more frequent— that there were only eight instead of twelve in the course of the year. He saw no reason why they should not be held every month.

Mr. Bowler then gave notice that he should briug forward at the next monthly meeting of the Chamber the contemplated abolition of the District Courts.

THli COSTOM's TARIFF.

The Chairman stated for the information of the Members that the duty on sardines had been re-imposed, and a duty of £3 a ton charged upon galvanized iron, and drew the attention of the Chamber to the very unsatisfactory state of the Tariff in being liable to be altered at any moment at the will of a single individual — the Commissioner of Customs.

A general conversation then ensued, during which many of the anomalies of the present Tariff were commented on, and from which, among other items, it appeared that while preserved salmon was admitted free, sardines now were charged with the same duty that had been levied on them until about two years ago, when they were declared free. That while Eau tie Cologne was charged with a duty of nine shillings per gallon, other scent came in free, and though sheet iron was admitted free, galvanized iron was to be charged at tho rate of £3 a ton.

The following resolution was eventually adopted, moved by Mr. C. J. Pharazyn, seconded by Mr. VV. B. Rhodes - That tho Secretary bo instructed to prepare a Memorial to His Excellency the Govornor, urging a ro-considoration of that portion particularly of tho, existing Tariff which bears upon the articlos of galvanized iron and sardinos, which have rocontly boon subject to alterations under tho individual authority of fcho Commissioner of Customs.

Carried unanimously.

There being no "other business before the Chamber, the meeting terminated at 5 o'clock.