CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5300, 21 March 1878, Page 2

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

The annual general meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday afternoon, .T. Drausfield, Esq., presiding. There were about forty members present. The minutes of the previous meeting were, read and confined. The following report was then read:— Your committee beg- to submit the following report of the transactions of the Chamber for the twelve months now past, calling attention also to various matters which thyy think worthy of consideration. Wharf Ac“ouimodation, Perhaps the most important, subject that has engnged the attention of the Chamber during the past year is that of an increase in the wharf-accommoda-tion of this port. It will be within the recollection of members that an intimation was receivel to the effect - that the Government was not prepared to proceed with the construction of the contemplated railway ; wharf, and suggested the advisableness of bringing " the railway into connection with the Queen’s wharf The matter received considerable attention at the - hands of the committee, and after much deliberation a plan was proposed in accordance with this suegestion. which was ultimately adopted by a general meeting of the Chamber, and recommended to the Government. The Minister of Public Works accepted the proposed plan; and stated that the work would be proceeded with forthwith. Subsequently however, this proposal wa«, it'appear.s, abandoned by .the .Government, -and at a recent interview it was * stated by the Colonial-Secretary that the Government had it in contemplation to make over such portion of the reel; imed land as was not required for public 'pur- ■ poses, to the Corpordion; bn liberal terms; but that • < the whole question hid to be considered in Cabinet, and they w re unable to state definitely their intentions with reference to wharf accommoduuon. Great improvements are now being made to the Queen's wharf, but your committee are impressed with the conviction that a further considerable increase in the wharf accommodation of the port is a matter of the first importance, and they strongly commend the subject to the early attention of their successors in office. A large shed for pressing and storing wool is also greatly needed. . Wharf Regulations. In connection with this subject it may be mentioned that a new regulation was at one time issued giving the Corp -ration a lien over any goods on the , wharf or in the Queen’s bond for any charges due by the owner of such goods, whether ou the same or any other package The inconvenience of such a course was pointed nut by your committee, aud the regulation was rescinded by the Corporation. WitlT the view of increasing the facilities of the port, your committee has suggested to the Corporation the advisableness of abandoning the charge of outward wharfage on the shipment -of goods which have -already paid • wharf ige inwards, but regret that the Corporation have been unable to accede to this suggestion. In consequence of increased competition a general redaction lias been made in the charges on merchandise stored In the Queen’s bend. -. ... ’ Harbor Board. A general measure in reference to Harbor Boards was brought before the Legislature‘during the last session, but allowed to'lapse. As matters stand at present, probably the best solution of this question, as far as "Wellington is concerned, might be found in giving to the Municipal Corporation the powers of a Harbor Board, together with suitable endowments. - The City Council are’taking steps with this object, and it is understood that the Government co- cur in. the proposal. r " ' ; Kerosene Bond. ' Your committee has followed up the fiction taken by their predecessors in office with the object of hav-.. r ing the kerosene store removed to some less central site, as also for obtaining facilities for storing kero- ; sene in bond, and they are glad to be able to report J that in both these respects effect has -been given to • tneir wishes by the Corporation, who have also, at the suggestion of the Chamber, considerably modified the charges for receiving and delivering. Bills of Sale. The unsatisfactory state of the law respecting bills of sale has been the subject of much consideration to your committee, and suggestions for a radical altera- - tkm were-agreed to at a general meeting of the Chamber. It will be the duty of the committee now ~ to be elected to. see that the resolutions'of the Chamber are given effect to as far as possible, 1 ; Building ilcgulations. . . The building regulati -ns which were alluded to in last year’s report have since comb into force. ' ! New Reservoir. The new reservoir is now practically finished, and is capable of furnisbinga supply of water which will no doubt be sullicient for some years to come for general purposes, besides .effecting an important improvement in the safeguards against the spread of fire. Fire Insurance. •- During the past year another New Zealand Fire Insurance Company has come into existence, and one or ’ two more European companies have opene d' agencies here, but these additional facilities scarcely do more than meet the -increased, demand arising from the rapid growth of the city, leaving a deficiency still to be supplied. . Increase in the City. Papers recently laid before’the City Council give evidence of the rapidity with which this city is growing in population and number of buildings. Copies of these reports arc appended. . * Drainage and Sewerage. The plans for this purpose referred to in the last annual report have since been completed, and are now awaiting the opinion of Mr. Clarke, au engineer who is regarded as a competent authority on - such matters. Should his report be favorable, the work will at once be proceeded with.; labile JPorfes. In the Chamber’s report, submitted in March. IS7G, -■ it was mentioned that the Wellington and Masterton Railway was open as far as the. Upper Hutt. At present. though two years have elapsed, the line is only open as far as Kaitoke, an additions- distance of about seven miles. It must be' felt 'that such a rate of progress is extremely unsatisfactory, even after making all allowance for the engineering difficulties ■'!' of this part of the line. - Absconding Debtors, The desirableness of provision being made for procuring the arrest, in other countries, of absconding debtors, has been frequently before the committee and the Chamber, as well as other Chambers of Commerce in the colony. The subject, however, is one surrounded by many difficulties, and no definite action lias yet been agreed upon. Australian Juvenile Industrial Exhibition. -The assistance of y>ur Chamber was sought to further the objects of the exhibition to be held iu Ballarat this. year. A special committee was appointed for this purpose, and mean*, were adopted to obtain suitable exhibits.. Very little general interest was manifested by the public, and only a .very small number of exhibits have been sent from this district. U'ool. ■ ■ ’ ‘ An interesting experiment, having for its object the introduction of Austral an and New Zealand wool to a new market in China, was brought under the notice of the Chamber. It had so far been earned ou by Mr. Monckton Synnot, of Melbourne, and he asked for assistance to continue the exper.ment on a large scale, A sum of £SO was therefore voted from the funds of the .Chamber in aid of this object, such . sum to form part of a fund which should be invested in yarns of New Zealand wool, to be sent to China, and presented to Chinese cloth-makers to familiarise them with its use, aud induce them to adopt it in their manufactures. General. • Among other subjects, in reference to which action has been taken by y ur committee, may be mentioned the necessity for improved accommodation for the Supreme C urfc in this city; the propriety of increasing the pay of special jurors, as also of allowing cases to be heard by special juries of smaller numbers than twe ve; the advisableness of reducing the fees on Post Office orders for small sums; the necessity for removing the powder magazine to some less central site; and the.difficulties which attend ilie attachment of-real estate for judgment debts. On all these subjects, except the last, representations have been made the Government, and your committee recommend them to the attention of their successors iu office. Members . Your committee deeply regret to have to record the loss by death of two members during the year now, past, namely. Mr. George Moore and the Hon. W. B. Rhodes, both of whom had been members of the Chamber from its commencement. Six ethers have withdrawn from membership, but twenty-one new members have been admitted during the year. Theie are eight applicants for election to-day, which »111 bring up the total of members to 112. Statistics. Statistical tables wi • be found appended to this report, containing the records of the trade of the colony to the end of 1877. It will be seen that Wellington continues to show a satisfactory rate of progress. Funds. Annexed to this report will also be' found a statement of receipts and expenditure f t the past year, - which shows tint the funds of the Chamber are in a healthy condition. The Chairman : Gentlemen, iu moving the adoption of the report at the annual meeting, it is usual for the chairman to review the subjects which have occupied the consideration of the Chamber during the year. I find myself in a similar position to which my predecessor did two years ago with regard to the important subject of increased wharf accommodation. This subject has engaged the attention of the Chamber more than any other, and I believe the opinion of most members is that very:v little will be done in the matter until we have local government over all matters in connec-tion-with the harbor : aud as this is apparently the view of the Government of tlie clay, there is every probability of this course being adopted, and then we shall have the matter in ,our own hands to deal with. . am. satisfied that if it had been iii our hands during the last tew years , wb would have set * to work in a practical manner, and have accomplished what is desirable. The great question of draining the city is now, I think, in a fair way for practical solution. The City Council has wisely followed the course of seeking for the very best advice that is to be had iu the colony. The gentleman who lias been sele ted hears a very high name, and after the decision of Mr. Clarke has been arrived at, this important work will, in all probability,be atouceproceeded with. There have been complaints in reference to the vvater supply of the city, and it has been thought that the Corporation neglected its duty 7“. in not; having a better supply butfwheu it is taken iinfco consideration that only a few.years' ago r 400 services were “consideredabout- 1 -'aA";; s many as -the-city require'-for- a'few years, and that now the number of services is over 2600, I think you will admit with me

that such an increase lias completely knocked on the head any possible or reasonable calculations that could have been made for this work. There is one subject which the Chamber cannot congratulate itself upon, nor can it congratulate the citizens of Wellington upon—that is, the miserable rate of progress which our railways have made, especially in the southern part of the Provincial District of "Wellington. As is stated in the report, during the last two years only some seven miles additional railway have been opened, making a total of about thirty miles of railway made here during all the years the Public Works policy has been adopted. I think we have reason to complain that we have not benefitted to the.extent t '.at other districts have done in this respect. We are promised great things by the present Ministry, and I trust that this will be one of those promises which will be faithfully kept. The progress of the line to Masterton is an important subject, because I am satisfied that the fact of opening a railway to the Wairarapa will cause a great increase in our trade. A gentleman who held a seat in the Ministry some years ago once told me that when we got this projected line open he hardly expected the earnings would pay for the grease used on the wheels, but now he has altered his mind, and says it may pay working expenses; but I go further than that, and say it will pay as well as any line in the. colony, if once taken through to Masterton. There is one subject which I think the Chamber has not given much attention to, and which it might do for the future. —that is, the Telegraph Department. With all due respect to Dr. Lemon, I do not think the department is worked well. I think he studies economy too much, and it appears to me that the new idea of charging double for urgent telegrams is simply to increase the revenue. I am told this .is entirely confined to New Zealand. The mercantile community, therefore, has a fair grievance; and I do not think the interests of the public have been so well served by the department asthev should have been. I see by the city valuator’s report that the city of Wellington has progressed during the last year in a remarkable manner, some 471 new houses having been built, and over 60 business promises, making over 500 new buildings. This is a subject .of congratution, and proves that we are going ahead, and holding a proper position in the colony. I am sure if we all take that interest in this Chamber which we ought to do, it can be made a very useful institution. X hope some members of the committee will add to the remarks I have made. Gentlemen, I now formally move the adoption of the report. Mr. Krull, who seconded the report, had few remarks to make. He considered the Chamber "of Commerce one of the moat powerful of bodies that could exist if properly managed. There were many reforms to be carried out, and as their numbers increased, he had no doubt these reforms would be carried out. He hoped in time the£ would have a tribunal of commerce to which disputed commercial transactions might be submitted for settlement. Steps had been taken in England to form such a tribunal, but he believed there was a strong legal opposition against it. Mr. Mooehoose; on the part of the profession to which he belonged, denied that there was any legal opposition to the formation of such a tribunal here. For his part, he would be very glad to he able- to advise bis clients to save expense and ill-feeling by referring their grievances to the Chamber of Commerce. Questions would arise causing a diversity of opinion between the best members- of society. With regard to the reclaimed land, he was of opinion that the time had arrived to take decisive action. At one time there was a very strong opinion on the part of members of the Assembly that the functions of the Harbor Board should he , entirely separate from a municipal body generally. He was one of those who held that all government should have finality and conclnsiveness about it, and he considered .that every institution ought.to be invested with complete power to deal with its own affairs without any interference whatever. The reclamation when complete would cause an increase of revenue to the town. He thought there should be a wet dock there, from which the town would derive a very large revenue. That would assist to give Wellington a supremacy as a commercial emporium, and would return an enormous profit to those ■ who would carry out the scheme. Mr. Wallace drew attention to an item in the report respecting the voting of £SO for sending wool to China, and asked whether it had been paid simply by the Wellington Chamber, or contributed to by .the various Chambers of the colony ? The Chairman said it simply remained as a vote. There had been no money paid over, and he understood action had been taken to secure unanimity amongst the various Chambers in the colony on the experiment. Mr. Gbutiths drew the attention of the Chamber to what appeared to be an anomaly requiring rectification. A person having no status as a commercial man in the _ town, recently started business, and obtained credit through a man of substance, who was wellknown, recommending him as “all right.” The venturer afterwards absconded with the proceeds of the goods obtained on credit to Victoria, and the extradition treaty was such that he could not be brought back again. Mr. Thompson said with reference to the Telegraph Department a great many mistakes were°to be attributed to the fact of cadets and inefficient persons being entrusted to attend to the work. The office was worked too cheaply by Dr. Lemon, and from his experience there were not nearly so many mistakes made in the telegraph offices in Victoria as in this colony. Great credit was due to Dr. Lemon for introducing the system of “urgent telegrams,” which were of great benefit to the commercial community. The system, he might say, was in vogue on the Continent as well as in New Zealand. Mr. Bdchanan considered the system of urgent telegrams simply one of increasing the charge upon telegrams, without any commensurate benefit. Concerning the subject of increased wharf accommodation, a suggestion had been made to him by Mr. Levin which was worthy of consideration. It was that a wharf should be erected at the Te Aro end of the town especially for the use of coal and timber vessels. A large portion of the trade was immediately connected with that end of the town. Mr, Perrier considered that Mr. Buchanan and others had spoken in ignorance regarding the Telegraph Department. Telegrams were despatched in order of precedence as they were handed in, but by the payment of a double rate the sender could obtain the benefit of having them sent as urgent —that was, before any others not so marked. With regard to the employment of inferior hands, he might say that a good many operators who had come from the other colonies suffered by comparison with New Zealand telegraphists. Mistakes would occur in the best regulated businesses, and no telegraphic department nonld he managed without occasional errors, and he thought that in the Telegraph Department of New Zealand there were, as a rule, fewer, mistakes than in Victoria, and in England most atrocious mistakes were constantly being made. Some time ago evidence was given before a commission at Home regarding mistakes in the Telegraph Department,' and it was found that they were very frequently made through forgetfulness on the part of the sender. He (Mr. Perrier) had seen telegrams left at the office unsigned, and the sender come back afterward to inquire why the message had not been sent. Mr Duncan said his attention had been drawn.to-a subject referred to by the Premier In hjs-, tour .through the colony, and, which deserved to be considered -by the Chamber. It was the excessive .dues, paid by, vessels visiting, harlSis the colony. He instanced a case where a vessel of 356 tons had to pay £3l 15s. 4d., and gave particulars of the same. With refejelce'.to'‘tfie report,he had intended to add the !fj»llowing, but supposed it would'have to be teft until another time l ■ - YiWr committee feel that they would neglect their duty t<> the Chamber did they not take the present oppjrtnnity''of”urgtnrmpm tmcmbcrrgenerally the necesßit/.,0 1 greater interest, being expressed fa the. furtfifcrance and extension.of railway cbmmunlcntf n,. and Wore particularly of theimportanc; of Its con-nection-with this city - at tlie earliest practicable date It is difficult properly to estimate the advantages that'. would result, not only to the commercial interests o[ , this port, but also to the producing districts o j

Hawke's Bay, IVairarapa. and Wanganui ; indeed, t may be truly-said, to the prosperity of the colony generally, were this vital element to the advancement and general welfare more ear estly considered/with-a’ view to its speedy practical realisation. The subject deserves, and will douhtle?a receive, your careful deliberation. . Connected with this matter the committee desire to express their satisfaction at the recent investigation of a committee o the House of Representatives and their recommendation for a line of rail way from the Hutt, via Wakanae, to Palmerston. Your committee hope that in accordance with the promise made by the Government to the Mouse of Representatives, the survey of the line will he completed. and that in the ensuing session Parliament will authorise its construction. He then referred to the great benefit which would accrue to the colony by the railway lines being extended. " Mr. 'George -tated that the matter referred ; to by t Mr. Griffith* had already engaged the attention of the .Chamber,'and was among the legal difficulties 'which which was not able to be dealt with last session. He qnite agreed with the remarks made by Mr. Duncan. .. Mr. George Hunter facetiously remarked that Mr. G-iffiihs* observations referred to three, and not onlv to two persons—Mr. Griffiths, being the dupe, was third party in question. It was no use fancying that the .Go-' vernment could .protect people from being duped. He did not believti that any Government could protect people against rascality. The point which Mr. Kmll h id referred to was one of the most important object' which could engage the attention of the Chamber. Going to law. seemed to him something akin to insanity, and lie would suffer; anything rather than resort to litigation. There was a great deal of talk about the poor man being at a disadvantage, and no doubt he was. The rich nr»n. with plenty of money, could take hn case into the Appeal C-wt and Privy Court at Home, whern the poor man could not afford to go. M - was glad that one gentUraan had stood r.p to -defend the Telegraph I apartment, as h* thought, more uad been said against it thau'U deserved. 'Hie department had to. be conduct.-d in such a way that it would not become a burden on the colony, and at. pr sent he thought, looking at the amounts received from it., that a very great deal was being done. If u.*s satisfactory to know that the Customs TV'enne was increasing, and; there were other departments of the public service a a similarly satisfactory condition. Tin.- e was an enormous income being dorr ; *d from the Railway Department iu the S -nth Island, and that was a strong argument in favor o' railway exte shmin this province. With reference to what had been said ah <t a wharf at Te Aro, it appeared to him to be hardly practicable until the reclamation w.,» . completed. It was very well to have' o e large and creditable wharf, but thin:. could be managed better if there were Jhree or four wharves. He hoped the com-niuee wonM earnestly consider the qu«stio.o of the nil way wharf. He was not without hope th-it the Government: had n »r- altogether abandoned the idea, but would get tinrailway wharf constructed in s-voe convenient part of the harbor. If the'“municipality was empowered to act asa Harbor Board they would find means of raising funds • r money and there was no doubt that for a comparative small outlay they could provide, increased facilities which would completely relieve the present burden. Mr. Gardner said there was no mention in the report of the r 'be ’Aro. reclamation, which was a work of great importance. The report was then adopted. CORRESPONDENCE./ The Secretary read the-following-letter received from the secretary of d The Association for the Reform and Codification' of the Law of Nations/’ London : 33, Chancery Lane, London, E.C., , ■ January 22, 1878, Dear Sir, —I have done • myself the pleasure of forwarding to you by book post some of the printed papers published by our association. You will observe from these that wo are engaged in the consideration of important commercial rna'fers. and we have succeeded in securing the friendly support of our, Indian, Australian, ami Canadian colonies, and we are now very desirous of enl sling the Chamber of Commerce of New Zealand May I ask of you to bring this matter before the members of your Council, and to convey to them the wish of our Council to have.their co-operation, and at the same time to iavite your Chairman, vici-Chair-mah, and other members to join our association.— I have, Ac., IT. D. Jeiikrm, Hon. Gen. Secretary. To the Secretary' of the Chamber of Commerce of New Zealand. ELECTION OF OFFICERS, The election of officers was then proceeded with by ballot, and resulted as fol'ows : Chairman; Mr. F. A. Krull. Vice-Clmirman; Mr. T. Buchanan. Committee: Messrs. W. M. Bannat\ne, J. H. Bethuue, G. Crawford, J. Eransfield, R. J. Imucan, J. 11. George, J. B. Harcourt, G. Hunter, W. H. Levin, L. Levy, K. W. Mills, E. Bearce, U. M. Thompson, and G. E. Tolhnrst. Mr. G. Hunter moved a vore-of thanks to the retiring chairman for his services during the past year. Mr. Levy seconded the motion, which was carried by acclamation. Mr. Dransfield acknowledged - the compliment, expressing a hope that his successor would feel the same pleasure he had in Conducting the proceedings as he had done. The meeting then terminated