TRADE & COMMERCE. MEETING OF BUSINESS MEN.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 87, 13 April 1911, Page 8

TRADE & COMMERCE. MEETING OF BUSINESS MEN.

INTERESTING REVIEW. Luncheon preceded business at the annual meeting of the Wellington Chambei 1 of Commerce this afternoon, and members assembled in large numbers. Mr. H. C. Tewsley, president, occupied the chair. THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. In moving the adoption of the annual report (a digest of which has already been published), the president referred to the question of the "suburban area" in tho matter of railway freights. The demands of residents in Plimmerton and other outlying districts beyond .Johnsonville had not been complied with, and he suggested as a trial" the area should be extended during the summer months. LONDON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. As an evidence of the good feaiing; ihat-oxißted between the London Chamber of Commerce- and the chambers wdtftmi tha Dominion, an invitation had,&een extended to i menibers<of''jfhe«cha«iCber visiting London to record their* name6^ai'~fche--London'-Ch3mi)er of Com— ra£*eej,::when,---£OTrDtesies muL. ail-*f ac-Mities witb3n. j ats- -power would-be -^xtended'sto •thosa -swho-'desixed- it. With regard to;Sthe 'Hmg&ria} *CoomcH of- Commerce, the •Jjcexdan. Chamber,, r&uosequent ■ to the-. Congress, Jiad taken steps rto* .■eetabSdi -an Imnariai fynim^iij and^at;

would be adopted by which this would "he a permanent and useful institution. NORTH ISLAND RAILWAY LEAGUE. ■This body, continued the speaker, was endeavouring 1 to deal with the-ques-tion of improves, railway facilities for ■ the North Island. It was felt by a large section of the Wellington community, and also by the chambers in the North, as -well as tiie Wellington Chamber, that the Main Trunk rail-way connections, east and west, should have preference over other and smaller lines -that possibly individual members might ■ advocate. NEW MAIL SERVICE. 'R-eferring to the new San Francisco service he said it was hoped that when the immense advantages of having ves-sels-more up-to-date and of greaterfiteaniJng power in the service- were-reaheed, the better quality vessels would bo- continued. *The service would become a useful one if veesels of the type of the "Manuka were -continued in the running. NEWi ZEALAND MEAT AND PRODUCE. The Government- had been, asked if its would go into the question, of getting i our produce admitted into the United' States and the Continent on more fay-< ourable terms than at present, and a f reply was- received from the Prime Min-f ister saying that "ha -would take advantage of any-opportiinityrthat might be afforded him during his travels to develop the export trade of -our Dominion." MUNICIPAL AND HABBOUR BOARD ELECTIONS. Following on the new- scheme of ap- . pointments -under the franchise the council initiated a -Citizens' League, and a selection: had been, made of a-num-ber of men that it was thought •would .give valuable fiervice to the -city. The decision to- cancel the dock contract with Messrs. M'Lean Bros, was, ho said, a wise one, and the • city of Wellington had been relieved of a great incubus. A .DELICATE vMABKET. He referred-tto the- general increase «in ■'"imports and exports, and said, he could but -emphasise the extreme sensibility of the local market by pointing out the serious possibility that a temporary drop in the value of our exports caused- last year. Had it not been for a quick recoverydn market-prices the fmanciaLrposition -would have been disastrous. JChis was a subject well worthy of consideration by financial institutions and' producers. IMMIGRATION. It was to be regretted that a more ..■active^ scheme of immigration had not been adopted by the Government, and it was also to be regretted that certain sections of the community were endeavouring to block the importation of added numbers to New Zealand on the plea that by so doing labour would be* cheapened, and the' possibility of there -■not being work for those who arrived. . If the proper class of immigrant was .secured there should be no diißculty -under this heading. It was a well-known fact that in a considerable number of the manufacturing establishments throughout N-ew Zealand a large- amount of labour was required that could notbe got. The great need of the Domin- ' ion was emigrants who were fitted togo on the land — the crying need of the Dominion at the present day was a safe but progressive immigration policy. DEFENCE. Touching on defence, he said it was generally agreed that the selection of the Commandant had been a wise one, and it was to be hoped that he would be given a free hand, untrammelled by politics or pull, so that the creation of a standing army might prove such a perfect scheme- as would give New Zealand a thoroughly efficient and welltrained body of men to protect it should occasion arise. BANKPJJPTCY LAWS. Alter referring to the completion of the Hutt railway duplication woxks, Mr. Tewfiley said that it was matter for xegret that no steps had been, taken to improve the Bankruptcy Act, though copies of the resolutions passed by the council had been sent to the- Government. In conclusion, the president referred ' to the <propoeal that the Shelly Basy-road'* should be improved so as to permit -of motor-cars and carriages being drisren right round the water front to Seatoun. The scheme, he said, would bo. a very popular one if the Government would, undertako the construction of the -road.' (Applause-) The motion for the adoption of thereport was seconded by Mr. G. Wilson. THE DISCUSSION. Mr. D. J. Nathan, ia speaking a io the-, motion, remarked that none of them were satisfied with the present bills of lading, and they felt that without Government assistance they could 1 , not get a contract that would give them a fair run for their money. Perhaps now, however, some benefit would result from, the London conference of Chambers of Commerce. He aLso referred to the question of municipal trading concerns, which he did not think had shown co great a profit as they should have shown. If the increase of wag-es asked for by the tramway employees was granted, the whole of the profits would disappear, but seeing that the <jouncil "had been offered d&4U,000 a year by" a private company for the privilege of running the trains, they could- only come to 'the conclusion that the council had made a very sorry bargain. He urged that the balance-ebeets of municipal trading concerns should be published, in the same form as those of any privateundertaking. He did not think that the management of the council's trading concerns had shown the capacity that the people had a right to expect. Speak-ing-more generally he contended that the Government could not borrow sufficient .money to build all the railways' required, »and he suggested that local bodies or private enterprise should build the branch lines, leaving the construction of the main lines to the Government. fJiiJess that was done the countiy wouldnot develop .at a -reasonable rate for the next hundred years. The report -and balance-sheet were adopted without further-discussion. Mt. G. Shirtcliffe, in eomejsupplementary remarks, emphasised the fact that the increase in exports was largely .a price increase, and urged that therefor© it pxovided an argument fox a vigorous immigration and land settlement policy. If New Zealand depended solely on, prices it would go entirely down some day. As -to the bankruptcy law he said he regretted that -the Chamber had not been more aggressive in its demand for necessary, amendments to adequately protect the mercantile community. Ho hoped the incoming council would take th© matter vigorously in hand. As to tramways, h&»eaid their position was not bo bad aa Mr. Nathan suggested. So far theyjhad accumulated £77,000 which had been expended on. increasing the Tolling stock and plant, and a sinking fniid of £27/100, while in the electric lighting they had accumulated a sum of £44,000. Finally.' ho urged that niembers of tho chamber did not take sufficient interest in matters a-frecting the -mercantile community. That was a .-great mistake. Their friends in the. -North were continually agitating, and* Sgenarally .succeeded in getting what they for. The same thing could be ,done here. (Applause.) The Acting-Prime Minister (Hon. J. "Carroll) the Hon. J. A. Millar, and the 'iMayor of Wellington {Mr. T. M. Wil.seat- apologia* isa their on-