CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1698, 7 February 1862, Page 3

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

The usual monthly meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, was held at the offices of Messrs. Betbune & Hunter on Monday, 14th Jan. The business brought before it was of a varied and important nature. The following members were present— W M. Bannatyne, Esq., Chairman, and Messrs. Bethune, Crawford, Dransfield, Duncan, Hunter, Hartman,.Tohnston, Luxford, Pharazyu, Spinks, Stuirt, Vennell, and the Secretary.

After the minutes of the last meeting had been read and confirmed, Mr. Dransfield laid on the table the following

KEPOItT OF THE GOLD EXPLORATION SUBCOMMITTEE.

In pursuance and under the authoiity of the Resolution passed at the last General Meeting of the Chamber — the Sub Committee have vow to report the steps which they have taken to give effect to the proposition of the members to establish a fund- for the purpose of employing and equipping a prospecting party to search for gold in the Province of Wellington. From the importance of the movement, the large results to be anticipated in the event of the party being successful; together with the general bearing which the discovery of a payable gold field would have on the future progress of this portion of the colony, the Sub Committee calculate that the public will liberally respond to the call which is made upon them by contributing towards the fund which is now in course of being raised to carry out the object which the Chamber has in view.

The Sub Committee have much pleasure in stating that they have been led to believe that the Provincial Government is prepared to supplement the subscriptions by an amount equal to that raised by the public for tbis especial purpose. The Sub Committee, therefore, confidently rely upon sufficient means being available to give the cou ntry a fair trial and to set a rest the question as to whether Wellington is to be added to the list of auriferous provinces in New Zealand.

The Sub Coramtttee have also to report that they have communicated with Mr. T. Williams, an old and experienced Victorian miner, one too, who by his energy and perseverance, has recently exhibited qualifications peculiarly fitting him for the duty ol heading a prospecting party, in which capacity the Sub Coramitte, have secured his services ; empowering him to select men to accompany and assist him in his search, forming together a party of five, which under ordinary circumstances may be regarded stroße._Jt_.is_ijropQs.e^.ta.aßQiy Mr. Williams and each member of the party the snm of ten shillings each per diem while employed in the service, and to supply them with a tent and tools to carry on their operations in the field. The party will fiud their own provisions. Mr. Williams has a discretionary power to prospect in whatever district he may, from his previous knowledge, think likely to yield gold. The Sub Committee understand that the country in the neighbourhood of the East Coast will be the first locality visited from the favourable indications which have been observed there.

As an inducement to private exploring parties the Sub Committee suggest that the Chamber should address his Honor the Superintendent recommending, as in other places, that a reward, say of £§00, should be offered for the discovery of a payable and available gold field in the Pro* vince of Wellington. From the surface indications of several parts or the country round Wellington, as well as from the fact of gold having been recently detected

in the Ter.twiti district, supported too by the highest scientific authority in this hemisphere (the Rev. W. B. Clarke, F.G.S., the original discoverer of gold in (he Australia), the Sub' Committee belierethat reasonable grounds exist for stating that search, if properly conducted, in the slate and quartz, regions will be rewarded' " Everything," Mr. Clarke observes, "iv the physical geography of New Zealand induces my conclusion that the country must contain a portion of those more ancient formations which in Australia aud elsevrhcie are found to . be auriferious. Since my return to Sydney I have had given to me for examination some specimens of quartz from, I believe, the vicinity of Wellington. Oue of those is very ferraginuous, and on applying the file to the surface three or four patches of gold nude their appe.traucc, so that I have positive prtof of the aurifcrious character of some of your rocks." This opinion was given in 1852, recent discoveries at Nelson, Otago, as well as at Coromandel Harbour, prove how accurate and well founded were the calculations of the Key. gentlemen.

J. Dbansfield, , Chairman of Sub Committee,

Mr. Hart-man moved, and Mr. Phabazyn seconded the motion— " That the Report how read be adopted by the Chamber." — Carried nem con.

Mr. Spines moved the following resolution which was seconded by Mr. Hunieb, and car' lied unanimously;—" That the Sub Committe" appointed under- resolution of General Meeting' held on the 17th of December lust, be appointed a Deputation to wait' upon his Honor the Superintendent, fo confer with him as to the, advisability of offering a reward for the discovery of a payable gold field in Province of Wellington, as well as to matters relating to the proposed employment and equipment of a prospecting party."

The Chairman laid on the table the list of subscriptions that had been already subscribed towards this object; and he trusted that any member present who had not done so would not allow the present opportunity to pass by them unembraced. We may mention that from a cursory glance at the list, more than £60 appeared to have been already subscribed. j

STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH MELBOUBNE.

Mr. Hunter laid on the table the following extract from a letter from Messrs. Dalgety, Buckley, & Co., Lyttelton, addressed to Messrs. Bethune & Hunter, dated 7th January, 1862 : • 4 We hay? lately taken the contract for bringing the English mail from Melbourne to this vid Otagu, and if there is any prospect of Wellington joining for a steamer to go on thereat the same time, we might arrange f<»r the Aiding a. She is very fast, having made the passage from Melbourne to Otago in 4J days, and should the mail arrive at Melbourne punctually oo tbe 10th of the month, would be able to deliver mails at Wellington on the 19th or 20th ; this Government gives £3000, and the steamer would require a similar sum to go on and wait with you two days. "The Postmaster-General has, we believe sent an order for Wellington mails to be put on board our boats as far as Otago, but as you are no doubt aware they cannot be compelled to carry it, oud will not do so unless paid" Mr. Hunter observed that the letter contaiit ed no further particulars on the snbject, but further information was afforded in the papers that had been brought up by the last southern mail. From the Lyttelton Times of the 25th Dec he found that at an evening sitting of the Can terbury Provincial Council, Captain McLean who represented the Melbourne firm, was examined. Mr. McLean said, that it hadult, mately consented to carry the Canterbury mail, from Melbourne for the sum of £3000 per annum. Three powerful steamers were to be engaged in the service including the Aldinga. It was proposed that one of these should be in Hobson's Bay on the 10th of each month to take up the English mail two hours after arrival and would reach Lyttelton on the 9th day out. The steamer would stay three days in Lyttelton to carry back the return mail. The firm, how-' ever, could not submit to any penalties; as the £3000 would not cover the expenses even for one month of one vessel. Their boats were too costly for them to lose time, and that was the only guarantee that despatch would be used. After a good deal of discussion, it was ultimately agreed that £5000 should be voted for two steam services, £3000 for the Melbourne service, and £2000 for a steamer to run between Lyttellon and Otago. It was quite clear fiom this ar- . rangement that the Canterbury people would get! their mails at least six or eight days sooner than at present; and if the Provincial Government here would be prepared to give a similar amount, Wellington would receive her mails fire or six days sooner by this route than via Sydney and Nelson. This was the first Proviuce that had paid a subsidy for the mail service via Melbourne, first by sailing vessels, and subsequently by the Bomerang; and he should regret to see that after being the first in promoting such an ob ject she should allow herself now to be left altogether in the rear. He thought it highly desirable to encourage steam in every form, and he believed that if the proposed subsidy were paid, we should get back two-thirds of the amount It was probable the next sittings of General Assembly would be held here, and if they could have steam communication via Mcl bourne, as well as via Sydney, such advantages would not fail to be appreciated by the members from the sister provinces. The fact of Wellington holding a central position in the colony would be brought home to them. He thought that they were in a position to pay the proposed subsidy, for when he found that Wellington could afford to subscribe something like £50,000 towards the capital of a bank, she could afford to pay the sum required for thisservice. Otago was now the great attraction, butif passengers found facilities existing for coming on here, they would be more apt to do so than if none were afforded to them. There would be other advantages with having steam communication with Melbourne, besides having their letters five or six days sooner.

Mr. Hd^ier, in reply to the Chairman, said, -thufc-lifr-hftd -rooeived- -th«— loHor—by-tbo— £*rtrtue i Alfred, and had placed the extract he bad read to the Chamber in the hands of the Superintendent, and bad informed him that he should at once bring it before the Chamber, as there were no time to be lost, the reply being required to be sent by the : Lord Worsley on Wednesday next. His Honor said that he would bring the subject before his Executive, but of course could give no definite opiuiou upon it until he had done so. He seemed , personally to view the matter very favourably. Mr. Pharazyk then moved, and Mr, Dbansfield seconded the following resolution:— " That with reference to the rapidly increasing intercourse between the Provinces. of Otago and Lyttelton with Victoria, the Chamber is of opinion that the time has now arrived when it may be beneficially extended to the port of Wellington ; and it therefore strongly urges that the assistance of the Provincial Government should be solicited to give effect to its views, by way of subsidy so far as practicable, by the re-

opening the commercial interests with Melbourne." Carried unanimously.

DEPUTATFOM, TO THE SUPERINTENDENT ON

ST-feAM COMMUNICATION, &O. Mr. Dbansfield proposed " That a deputa tion, consisting of the Chaitman, DeputyChairman and Messrs. Pharazyn, Hunter, Hartmau, Crawford, and themover, be requested to wait upon his Honor the Superintendent, and present him with a copy'of the resolution just passed, and urge upon him' the importance of giving effect to it with the least possible delay.

Mr. Hunter said he had great pleasure in seconding the resolution, and in doing so he would just point out that the advantages which would be conferred upon the members from the oilier provinces would not fail to be appreciated, if during the time of the meeting of the General Assembly, a weekly communication could be kept, up between Wellington and the sister settlements. This, he felt convinced could be done between all of them with ihe exception of Auckland, and perhaps Napier. Without any leference to the seat of Government we cou'd show, if we carried out the proposed arrangements, that this was the most central position. He believed that if the commercial community here would only be true to themselves they iio'uld settle the question as to the place of meeting of the Assembly far more quickly and effectually than any mere argu ments however forcible, would, if employed for years, be likely to accomplish: Mr. Duncan would, not like to see so import ant a resolution "passed without saying a word or two in support of it. The practise of holding the Sessions of the Assembly at so out of the way a place as Auckland, not only sub jected the Southern members to great inconvenience, but was disadvantageous to the community at large. In the South they did not know what was being done in the Assembly until the Session was half over. If weekly communication could be established between Wellington and the other Provinces it would be demonstrated that this was the best place for holding the meetings of the Assembly. The proposed arrangements, would, it was manifest, confer other advantages on this Province.