CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 775, 26 March 1910, Page 3

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

ANNUAL MEETING NEXT WEDNESDAY. THE REPORT. The annual report of the Chamber of Commerce (extracts from which appear elsewhere in this issue) says that during the past year two events have taken place of considerable interest to commerce, namely, tho Congress of British Chambers of Commerce of the Empire, which was held in Sydney in September, and the Conference of New Zealand Chambers, which took place in Wellington in • April. The Wellington chamber was represented at the Sydney Congress by the ex-president, Mr. flarkness, and the vice-president, Mr. Tewley. Several of the delegates from the United Kingdom, Canada, and SouthAfrica were induced to extend their visit to New Zealand, and the local council is convinced that it cannot but be of considerable advantage to this Dominion mat so many representative business men of the Empire should have had the opportunity of becoming personally acquainted with tho country, its conditions, characteristics, potentialities, and requirements. Tho Conference of New Zealand Chambers was a function of- considerable interest, and was attendedi by -delegates from fourteen other chambers in all parts of the Dominion. Many subjects of importance to the trading community of the country were discussed, and there is reason to anticipate that good results will follow its deliberations. One outcome of. the conference is that it was decided to form an association of the Chambers of Commerce of the Dominion. •'■ A draft constitution -for the association >has been prepared, and' is to be considered at another conference which it: is proposed to hold in Auckland this year. Such an association should enable the desires and opinions of the commercial-community to be voiced with authority and effect.

Welllngton-Hutt Railway Seotlon. The work of improving and doubling this section of the railway is now nearing completion. The labour, cost, and time involved in carrying out this work liave all proved to be much greater than thero\ was at first any reason to anticipate, and have caused considerable delay in' its execution.-: The double line has for some little' time been available from Petone to as far as Kaiwarra, and the council is given to understand that the full work will he finished within six months from the present date. . .....

The.effect of this work is calculated to be of considerable advantage to Wellington, not only by the great improvement in tho railway line, but also by the provision of' an' excellent"' public road capable of being kept in good condition for ordinary traffic. The benefits (inferred by the improvements to the line are not confined- to the suburban traffic, for it is not to be forgotten that this section constitutes a stage in an important, line of over 200 miles terminating, at present, at Napier. Suburban Trafflb. ', Tb .o oouncil observes with regret that' the benefits to the suburban traffic arethreatened with serious-curtailment by the contemplated restriction of the suburban area from any centre to a distance of ten miles from the town it appears to the council that the' application in this matter, of a general uniform rule to every varying case would be productive of very unequal treatment.. .That, rather; every cas, should be treated'intelligently on its merits, and thatin the case/of Wellington, from its situation,, configuration, and surroundings,M,this': rule wofflaoperate very harshly'and urireasonably: Hpmmed m as. this city is. to an extent that renders any expansion of its area a matter of extreme difficulty, the council 1S of opinion'that the chamfer might reasonably approach the Government and Urge that in the case of Walton, it is desirable that' suburban settlement along both lines'of railway shivnld receive every- facility and encouragement at the hands of the rSway authont.es. It may also be fairly urged that oh the. jfaith. of the exte£ sion of the_suburban area to the Upper Hntt considerable sums of money have been spent in residences, etc

Wellington Harbour. : The volume of the import trade of this port experienced a measure of shrinkage duniig the past year in oomm<m with many other ports within and Zealand.' The causes of this set-back are / well known, and there is every reason to anticipate that in the near future this branch of trade' will regain its normal dimensions, <'. A measure of. .compensation has been found ma sobd increase in ; the volume - of exports. The Harbour Board has continued., to pay attention to the works enumerated in last year's report . of the chamber, but has not founif it m necessary:to raise any portion of the one-nullion loan for. which it obtained Parliamentary. authority in 1908. . In the construction of the graving dock senons hmdrances have been encounand after-the expenditure of a very large sum of money the work is now at a-standstill pending the result of experiments, .that are being carried out. The position of the Harbour tfoardin this matter. is one of . grave difficulty and anxiety. Several other important works' are still in hand while others are in contemplation for the further improvement of the harbour as their prosecution becomes practicable. The removal of the Falcon Shoal by the board's dredge has been steadily continued A ohannel 1200 ft. wide, to a depth of seven fathoms at few water has been completed, and it is probable onnL ttU3 - i y id % wiU increased to iOOOffc. within the current year This will be a great advantage in the navigation of large vessels visiting the port. ' ' Railway Station. ' • The council. mnch regrets the continued inaction of the Government in the matter of providing an adequate and up-to-date railway passenger station in Wellington. The present accommodation is quite unworthy of the city and a discredit to the : seat of Government, but there are no indications of steps being taken to erect a new station. .. --,••• Bankruptcy Act. One outcome of the conference of New Zealand Chambers of Commerce last year was the adoption of a series of joint recommendations for the amendment of the Bankruptcy Act, to which the Minister for'Justioo promised careful consideration in drafting an amending Act which he proposed to lay before Parliament. The measure was not, however, brought forward last session, and the council has since, in concurrence with other chambers, submitted two or three further recommendations which have been suggested by experience. Local Bodies' Loans. _ At the April conference strong objection was raised to the provision of the Local Bodies' Loans. Act, 1908, which enacts that the .Public Trustee shall be the sole commissioner of the sinking funds of all local bodies, and that such j funds shall bo invested in Government ', securities. _ It was pointed out that , this provision deprived local 'bodies of i the management of their own business, ■ and compelled them to accept such rates . of interest as the Government might i choose to give, instead of securing the s full market value of their money. Fur- < ther, it would result in taking off the f market considerable sums. of money ] which would otherwise have been avail- \ able, for tira general purposes of the f

market. This view found expression in Parliament, and the House succeeded in passing a resolution repealing- the objectionable, clause. The Prime Minister, however, aftorwards reintroduced the question, and induced the House to rescind its previous resolution and reinstate the clause. Representation on Harbour Boards. The measure for altering the constitution of harbour boards in New Zealand was again held over at the last session of Parliament, but it is understood to be- the determination of the government to endeavour to get it passed into law at the session of 1910 The council is still strongly of opinion that the chief thing to be aimed at ui the constitution of harbour boards, m view of the character of the problems with which they have to deal, is the inclusion in the governing bodies of a strong proportion of men of sound judgment and of - experience in commerce, shipping and finance, and that if changes are made, the object should be to strengthen instead of weakening this element. The council is still of opinion that the election of one or more members by the local Chamber of Commerce is a good way of securing at all events a modicum of this element, and no good reason has been adduced for depriving,them.of this privilege. If a better method of attaining the object can be evolved, it- would be welcomed' oy the commercial community, but the council is'fully convinced that the provisions of the Bill are not calculated to bring about the desired result. Speaking for its own Harbour Board the council is of. opinion that the success that has attended its operations in the past is an argument against rashly revolutionising its constitution without any sound or logical reason. It is not to be supposed that any body of men could carry on a large and> important business for twenty years \,i)hout mistakes, but the council makes bold to. say that the paucity of mistakes committed by tte Wellington ' Harbour board speaks volumes for the ability and care with which- its affairs have been managed. This is perhaps especially true of the earlier history of the board, when the • members nominated by the Government were as a rule prominent mercantile, men - such as the Chamber itself might have nominated had it been entitled to appoint four members instead of one.

The oouncil is aware, that' electoral control is popular, but is of opinion that in the election of a harbour board it should be allowed only a limited ap» plication, and. trusts, that some meann may be evolved to prevent a chango that would, it believes,, prove nothinss short of calamitous. .

Membership. the past twelvemonth .th« Chamber has, from various causes, sustained the loss 1 of thirteen of its members. In the number of these it is with great regret that the council has to record the loss by death of Mr. 'a. H. F. Thomson, who had been a member of the Chamber for nearly nine years. Mr. D. T. Stuart, who baa withdrawn • from- membership on the Occasion of his retirement from business, has given good service to the Chamber for many, years as a member of the council,' while for one year he discharged the duties of president with great success. The Council has expressed to him regret at the loss of his further assistance and good wishes for long life, health and happiness : , in his retirement. New members to the number of thirteen have joined the Chamber during the year,; and the roll of membership again totals 205. ;

Prizes to State Sohools. At the last annual meeting of the chamber the question of a repetition of the offer of prizes to thepupils of tho "Wellington City State '.schools was lost"' "sighji.of; The connoilj.^-however,, ; ,;-;>' Bed that the omission' was : uninteh- ! - tional,' and that it was acting in conformity with the real wish of members, renewed the offer, and distributed the prizes aB usual on December 10.-VOn this occasion sixteen schools took partin the competition; and' prizes were awarded to, .46 pupils.; V The Council. It will be the duty of the members present to elect a council for the ensuing year. By a rule of the Chamber three members of the _ outgoing council are each year made ineligible for reelection for'one year. On'the "present occasion the members of the outgoing ' council are eligible for re-election, with exception of Messrs. Bias, Bridson, and' SMrtcliffe. , . . -