INTERNED CARGOES?

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2327, 8 December 1914, Page 9

INTERNED CARGOES?

GOODS COMING IN REGULARLY CHAMBER OP COMMERCE COUNCIL MEETING 'A. meeting of the counciT'Of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday afternoon. There were present: Messrs. C. W. Jones (chairman), J. Macintosh, W. J. Bridson, F. W.. Manton, T. Bellringer, W. J. Thompson, W. G. Duthie, W. G. Foster, and J. G. Harkness. A communication was received from the Sydney Chamber of Commerce setting out the position in regard to German steamers detained in various ports. Regarding tho South\Africiin steamers it was stated they were daily hoping to hear that ther Imperial Government nad made necessary arrangements/for their corning on from South Africa. As to the ships in Java it was stated the Sydney Chamber was waiting, counsel's opinion with regard to the question of obtaining delivery' of cargo off those vessels. The Sydney Chamber also requested the Wellington Chamber's cooperation in regard to payment by Samoan firms to Australian exporters, and sxiggesttng that' the New Zealand. Government authorities should be approached on the matter. In regard to the latter point it was decided to approach the Government in the terms of the letter, and also to approach the Auckland Chamber for more Intimate knowledge on the matter. Messrs. Fraser, Ramsay, Ltd., wrote that they had received .the following cablegram from their house in Batavia re goods aboard the 'Roon: —"Rood cargo obtainable against guarantee for insured value cargo, original freight from port of shipment to destination, local discharging storage and transhipment expenses, plus proportion general average, and our commission 5 per •cent, on all disbursements. Wβ require bank guarantees for all above liabilities, also complete sets bills of lading , and policies." ■ '" Fostering Imperial Trade. Circular letters were received from the British Imperial Council of Commerce and H. M. Trade Commissioner regarding the necessity ■ of promoting intor-linperial trade. The latter circular has already been fullv printed in. The Dominion,, and merchants have given expression of their support. The British Imperial Council of Commerce, which forms the link between the Chambers of Commerce, and Boards of Trade of the British Empire, made an appeal to its constituent bodies in this emergency, to. direct their attention to those departments. of commerce which are principally affected by the stoppage of the trade hitherto carried on by "enemy" countries and the British. Empire. A table was enclosed giving the figures of the trade between Germany and the various Dominions, and it was respeotfully suggested that the Wellington Chamber, from its knowledge of local conditions, should address representation to the_ secretary of the British Imperial Council of Commerce, indicating the best methods of supplanting this : "onemy" trade by the imperial interchange of commodities. The Congress of Chambers of Commerce was to be held next autumn at Toronto, when it was hoped that these questions would receive special and practical attention. The circulars were handed to the Press for publication, but no motion was carried in respect to the matters contained In them. Export Statistics. The Customs Department wrote _in reply to the Chamber's communication re export statistics, and stated_ that it was recognised that' the public v ( was likely to be misled through the returns showing the districts of_ origin as ports. To remove any possibility of misapprehension, the Department was prepared to use the term, "districts," in the returns, in lieu of "ports," and to insert a note to the effect that the goods shown as exported from any partioular district were those which had been produced in the district named, whether exported through the port for that district or not. The Department of Industries and Commerce forwarded a Toport of the British Consul at .Panama as to the prospects of trade with Central and Soutli America.—The report was laid on the table, for the benefit of interested parties.