The Globe. FRIDAY, JULY 10, 1874.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 35, 10 July 1874, Page 2

The Globe. FRIDAY, JULY 10, 1874.

At the monthly meeting of the committee of the Chamber of Commerce, held on Wednesday, a subject was discussed which ia of great interest to everyone in the colony. A letter was read from Mr Yogel, in which that gentleman declines to grant a boon the Chamber had asked for—viz, that the Government should furnish the local offices with telegraphic reports of the arrival and departure of vessels from the respective ports on the New Zealand Coast, Mr Yogel stated that the subject had boon repeatedly under discussion, and that the department could not furnish any more information gratuitously. The hon gentleman, now wearied out perhaps with the pertinacity of attacks made upon him, has made one concession, and for the future shipping information, that is, “ for “ general and not private use,” may be sent over the various telegraphic lines at press rates. Mr Nathan seemed to think that Mr Yogel had misunderstood the nature of the application, which had been so constantly made to him; but the hon Premier is too old a newspaper man not to be thoroughly aware of what was required, and he has seen fit in the exercise of his discretion to refuse it. We are very sorry for it; for every one will agree that our present system of getting shipping news is highly unsatisfactory. It is not many days ago that the City of Adelaide arrived atr Auckland with the San Prancisco mail, and after leaving the Northern • ports, we, in Canterbury were entirely in the dark as to her whereabouts for twentyfour hours at a time : all we knew was that she had left Auckland; we got no information as to whether she called at Napier, and then we heard of her again at Wellington. This is very annoying, and though no doubt large firms, and in fact men of business generally, would not stick at the trifling expenditure necessary to have certain news as to the position of the mail steamer, yet there are others to whom that expenditure may be an object, who are equally interested in the arrival of English mails. It will be seen that the Chamber of Commerce declined to avail themselves of an offer made by a gentleman to supply them with shipping news at press rates, and as they are under the impression that the information should be given by the Government to the general public, they are right on principle in not accepting Mr Yogcl’s slight concession in price. It strikes us, that it is a pity we could not hear some of the speakers on the late question of free passes on the Canterbury railways on this point. It might be urged by some of those gentleman that as the cables were already laid, and the staff of employes must be kept up, that they might as well have these telegrams free as not, only unfortunately that would be for the general good of tho community, whereas the other question merely benefits a few private individuals. We hope, however, that the Chambers of Commerce, at the various large towns in the country, will not give up, but will continue to ask Mr Yogel for what will be really a benefit to the public generally, and perhaps, by their importunity, they may succeed in obtaining it, irrespective of the justice of the case.