CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5401, 19 July 1878, Page 2

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

The following is the address delivered by F, A. Krull, Esq., president, at the quarterly meeting on June 26 As this is the quarterly meeting, it is my duty to inform you of what has been done since the last meeting. The committee have had under consideration the extension of wharf accommodation and the construction of a railway wharf, but we have not advanced much further than we were at the beginning of the quarter. We have received from the Government an assurance about the reclaimed laud at Thorndon—if the papers are correct— it is willing to have it transferred to the city upon what will, X think, be very favorable terms. The matter of wharf extension is still in abeyance, and I believe nothing will be done by the Government in it until'the reclamation has been finished, either as regards the railway wharf or the other. Therefore -this matter will have to be left over for the consideration .of ‘ the committee. Another item ia with respect to’ taking a part of the reclamation for a wharf and a wet dock. The committee met the City Council at the time that Sir John Goode was here. The desirablity of connecting the railway with the wharf was impressed upon the * Government, and Sir John Goode was requested to point out what would be the most favorable plane for additional wharves at Te Aro, for no doubt it will be necessary to have wharves there for coal, timber, &c. The desirability of amending the law relating to bills of sale has been considered, and the matter is in the hands of Mr/ Travers, who has promsed to draw a Bill, to be laid before Parliament, giving effect to the proposed amendments. The action of the Chamber with regard to a new Court House has resulted in some fruit The Government have sold the old site,* and a new Court House will soon be built. It will be for the .Chamber to urge upon the Government to call for tenders for the erection of the building as soon as possible. The Chamber have represented to the Government the. inadequacy of the pay of special jurors, and recommended that instead of having special juries of 12 there should be fewer jurymen, with more pay. We were referred to the Minister of Justice, but we have not been able to catch that gentleman, who has only paid flying visits here, but the Minister has communicated with Sydney, to learn the system adopted there. The removal of the powder magazine has received the attention of the committee, hut we have nothing further from the Government than that it has had most careful consideration. Severalletters have been written to the Government, but the matter has not got beyond what I have said. You will remember that Mr. Woodward was desirous that the fees charged for Post Office orders should be lowered on small sums, and the Postmaster - General says . the matter will receive further consideration. Another item which the Chamber has taken up is the rate of port charges here, and a reply has not yet been received from the Government about it. The Chamber found that the port charges here were higher than in other places. Lyttelton and Wellington were about the same; but in Auckland and Dunedin the charges were less, particularly in the former. This has probably arisen from the control of this matter being in the hands of the Harbor Board; therefore, if the Government brings in a Harbor Board Bill, and a Board has charge here, this will be amended. At present Wellington is at a great disadvantage; for instance, pilotage in Auckland is 3d. and 2d. per ton, and in Wellington 6d. and 4d. In Auckland wharfage is and here 2d. to 3d. As the matter is one of the greatest importance, the committee will take it up warmly, and I hope that some good will remit. The kerosene question was considered at a special meeting, and At was agreed to take action in common with, tire City Council; but there is now no immediate hurry for anything, being done, because uo vessels with kerosene are expected to arrive shortly, and before the next comes in the City Council will have mot the difficulty. In reference to the Hon. Mr. Macaqdrews proposal for direct steam communication with .England, the committee was not unanimous as to what should bo done, and it was left over for discussion at this meeting.