CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3853, 22 November 1883, Page 2

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

The regular quarterly meeting of the >* Napier Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday afternoon. Present —Messrs J. G. Kinross (chairman), J. AY. Neal, M. R. Miller, E. Lyndon, T. Tanner, C. C. Murray, H. R. Holder, J. J. Torre, J. D. Ormond, J. Mc.Vuy, AY. C. Smith, M.H.R., j H. AVilliams, F. AY. AVilliams, J. AY. Craig, C. B. AVinter, and J. S. Large.

Tho secretary, Mr E. Men/ies, read tho quarterly report from the committee of the Chamber as follows : —

Sunday Trading by Union Company's Steamers. —This subject was again taken up by your committee, and a strong remonstrance addressed to the company, and it is hoped, from the reply received, that the running of the steamers will now be conducted with greater regularity. North Island Main Trunk Railway Survey. —The committee having applied to the Government for copies cf the interim reports on tho surveys of the proposed routes through Hawke's Bay, and which they were under the impression had been received by the Government, have been informed that none such have been received, and that when they have been sent in tho request will be considered. Your committee trust, therefore, that when the final reports, which cannot now be far from completion, have been submitted, a copy will be supplied to the Chamber in time for any action to be taken that may bo deemed necessary.

Export Trade of tho Province.— Tho Chamber has been recently supplied by tho Government with a volume of the Statistics of New Zealand for the year 1882. Amongst the various tables is a comparative one showing the value of tho exports beyond \ sea from each provincial district during each year for the decennial period 1873 to 1882, Of the three principal North Island provinces, it is most gratifying to fiudovidoneo afforded of the extraordinary rate of progress of this province in comparison with

the others. Taking the years 1873 and 1882, i the rates of increase are respectively its follows:—Hawke's Bay 300 percent, ; AVellington, 56 per cent. ; and Auckland, 20 per cent. ; tho totals for 1882 being, Hawke's Bay, £024,002; Wellington, £787,825 ; and Auckland, £1,009,100. It must bo borne in mind, moreover, that these figures, gratifying as they aro as exhibiting the enormous strides made by Hawko s Bay in tho race of progress, do not express the full extent of the exports from this province. AVhile Auckland at-cl AVellington get lull credit for all their exports, a not inconsiderable portion of Hawke's Bay produce intended for foreign export, has to be forwarded coastwise to Wellington, whence it is finally cleared for shipment beyond seas, and is thus included in the returns from that port, so that if this fact were taken into account the two ports of AVellington and Napier would take about equal rank in the matter of exports. It will be the duty of this Chamber to memorialise tho Commissioner of Customs to have the entries of produce intended for foreign export made at tho port of Napier instead of the port of transhipment. Tho report was adopted, on the motion of Mr Miller, seconded by Air Tanner. The Chairman, referring to the last paragraph, said tho matter should be brought under tho notice of the Commissioner of Customs. The exports for the last quarter, which had been stated in official returns to be £10, were really of considerably greater value. The exports by three firms alone amounted to £28,100, made up as follows: —Nelson Bros., chiefly meat and fallow, £15,000 ; Murray, Roberts and Co., £7500 ; and Co.,' £5000. Other large exporting firms had sent away considerable quantities of goods, such as the Loan and Mercantile Company. According to .MiMiller's annual return, the exports from the port direct last year were given as of the value of £OS,OOO, but this was exclusive ot coastwise exportation, which did not figure in tho returns of Hawke's Hay at all. After some discussion, Mr Murray moved tho following resolution: — "That this Chamber brings under the notice of the Commissioner of Customs the injustice done to the harbor of Napier by not allowing the entries for foreign exports shipped at Napier to bo taken at the Custom House in cases where transhipped at other ports, and that the Collector of Customs here- be instructed to receive such entries in future." Mr Tanner seconded Ihe motion, and suggested that the secretary _ should he instructed to obtain as accurate information as possible on the discrepancy between the value of real and nominal exports. Tho motion was carried, and the secretary was instructed to obtain the information. WOOL CHARGES. Mr Ormond asked the Chairman whether any further information had been received from the Government as to abolishing the receiving charge for wool? The Chairman replied that the Government had promised to abolish the charge for receiving woo', but at present they were tJemanding the money as usual. JIATAJIAU RAILWAY SECTION. Mr Ormond thought the Chamber ought to lav before the Government the improbability of the TV.horaito sect ion of the railway line being opened under twelve months, and that they should again ask that the Mafamau section might be opened at once. Mr Smith said the Government were making efforts to push the completion of the line to Tahoraite, and the contractors were in some instances working night and day. Tho Chairman said tho AVellington people were as anxious to push their portion of tho railway as the Hawke's Bay people were to got tho line open to Matamaii, and the works now being carried out in the Wellington district were causing labor to be scarce and dear. That should he taken into account when communicating with the Go- ' vc rum outMr Miller said he had been informed by the resident engineer that he was pressed : with work, and had but few men to do it. ' After some further discussion the matter dropped. TRUNK RAILWAY ROUTE. Mr Smith said that the Minister for Public AVorks, after admitting that he_ had the interim reports on the surveys for a route for the North Island railway, declined to furnish a copy when asked, on the ground ttyitt it would be unwise to make public any part of the three reports sent in until the whole were finished. THE HARBOR QUESTION. Mr Largo asked whether tho Chamber would take any definite action on the harbor question, especially in relation to the late action of the Board? He thought tho Chamber might strengthen the hands of the Board by some pronounced approval. Mr Ormond thought it would be better to wait till tho Board hud decided upon a particular plan before asking the Chamber to memorialise the Board. Mr' Tanner would go further than Mr Large had done, and would move the following resolution :—" That in the opinion of this Chamber, the Harbor Board, when it has chosen a design thought suitable, should submit it to the Chamber of Commerce for an expression of opinion." Mr Tanner's motion, not being seconded, lapsed. The Chamber then adjourned.