THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY, MARCH 30. 1872

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1145, 30 March 1872, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY , MARCH 30. 1872

It would be a creditable and a wise proceeding on the part of the commercial men of Greymouth to establish an institution for which there is considerable necessity — a Chamber of Commerce. The example of other towns in the Colony in this respect has not been imitated on the Wc4 Coast except at Hokitika. There for h s io'f time a Chamber of Commerce exist ... . and j?ave promise of proving a very useful institution until evil overtook it through the misconduct of one of its officers. Disheartened by this circumstance, the members did not maintain that interest in the institution which it deserved, and an attempt to revive it unfortunately failed. Here there has not been an attempt of any kind on the part of the commercial community to act in a corporate capacity, though the necessity for their doing so has often been demonstrated, and that necessity is as great now as at any time in the short history of the settlement. Scarcely a week passes in which there does not arise some subject deserving of discussion, or of representation, by memorial or otherwise, to the County, Provincial, or General Governments ; and such representation would be much more appropriately and effectively made by a Chamber of Commerce than in the haphazard manner in which it is now necessarily done. The subjects with which a Chamber of Commerce could advantageously deal will readily suggest themselves. We need refer only to a few of paramount importance — the establishment of a regular coastal mail service, the extension of inland communication by mail or telegraph, the improvement of the means of inland carriage, and the maintenance of an efficient steam service ih connection with the steamships trading from Melbourne to the Coast. All these matters, and many more, come legitimately under the attention of a Chamber of Commerce, and, such attention from a properly organised and public - spirited body, the objects to be gained would be much more effectively promoted than they can possibly bo under the present plan of leaving to Dick, Tom, or Harry the duty of initiating any public agitation. Hitherto it has occasionally happened that the Borough Councillors have strayed beyond the exact line within which their duties as a corporation may be supposed to be confined, but they were to some extent excusable from the very fact that |there does not exist any other public body in the place to whom the supervision of such matters as Councillors have dealt with could be delegated. It is not, however, desirable that there should be a repetition of these excuses, or their causes, and they can best be obviated by the establishment of a commercial corporation such as that which, for other substantial reasons, we suggest should be added to the number of our local institutions. We trust that it simply requires the suggestion to be made to incite some public interest in the matter, and to ensure somo action on the part of commercial men in the direction of establishing au association which should prove directly advantageous to themselves, and indirectly beneficial to the community as a whole.