WELLINGTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2336, 28 September 1881, Page 3

WELLINGTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

[PBBBS ASSOCIATION TELESBAM.] WELLINGTON, September 27. At the quarterly meeting of the Chamber of Commerce to-day, the chairman, Mr J. E. Nathan, in the course of his speech, said : When last I had the pleasure of addressing you Parliament was in session. I then expressed the hope that new bankruptcy laws would be passed. It is with regret I have to record that this matter has again been neglected by the Government. This is such a crying evil, that a grave question arises whether the trading community of thisjcolony should not think about adopting means of self-protection. It is true that we have two trade protection societies, who publish weekly lists of bills of sale registered, and of commercial failures; but the want of protection to honest traders by the laws of the country is so great, that it seems only reasonable that they (the traders) should endeavour to find other means of safeguard. I would throw out a suggestion for the consideration of the members of this Chamber, whether we could not, by combined action with all other Chambers of Commerce in the colony, form a Trade Protection Society upon a broad basis, such as I believe is in England. This society being in combination with the several Chambers of Commerce, should watch every bankruptcy. The committees and secretaries of the Chambers, being members of the working committee of the society so proposed, they would by this combined action have in their hands the choice of trustees in all bankruptcies, because most traders would be members of the society and of a Chamber of Commerce, Such rules should be formed insuring all creditors appointing the society to act for them at meetings of creditors. As a rule, the secretary of the Chamber might be made the trustee. The commission attached to such an office would ensure each Chamber having a good, energetic, business man as secretary, and thus the two purposes would be served. By this means you would get good men as secretaries for the Chamber and all bankruptcies would be well looked after, with a view to putting a stop to fraud. It is to be regretted that Parliament, very late in the session, has succeeded in introducing the thin end of the wedge of protection. Let us hope that at the ensuing election men may be sent to Parliament with sufficient enlightenment to prevent more mischief being done in this direction. This will be so if the working man will only consider for a moment that protection means a diminution in the spending power of his hardly-earned wages. With regard to the introduction 'of Itho cental system a letter was addressed to the Government on this subject, but the reply is not of a favorable character. The following is the reply referred to: —“Colonial Secretary’s Office, Wellington, July 12th—Sir, —I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of jour letter forwarding a resolution adopted by the Chamber of Commerce, recommending the introduction of the decimal system of weights and measures. In reply I am directed by the Colonial Secretary to state that although the proposal has much to recommend it, it is doubtful whether the public are yet prepared for the proposed change, I am., &c., Q. S. Cooper.” "J. E. Nathan, Esq., Chairman Chamber of Commerce, Wellington.”